St. Paul Chapter - April Report

submitted by John Slade

On February 3, we held our annual Policy Breakfast. You can go to our chapter page for links to the event video and slideshow.

The chapter is working to highlight the five point Restore Rent Stabilization agenda in the upcoming City Council races. On April 2, we held a candidate forum with the East Side Freedom Library, the Southeast Community Organization, Sustain St. Paul, and Family Values for Life, a day after the April Fools Blizzard!

Ward 7 City Council forum, SunRay Library April 2 2023
The four candidates for St. Paul City Council and representatives from the organizations that sponsored the event. (Jean G and John S in the MICAH shirts) photo: Mitra Jalali

The new Fair Housing Coordinator for the City of St Paul, Faith Deitz, came to our March chapter meeting to introduce herself to us and we to her. She worked on the Rent Stabilization campaign before she came to the City job; she is an activist in her own Hamline Midway neighborhood. The position of Fair Housing Coordinator was established by Mayor Coleman, and was created at the time that MICAH’s fair housing complaint against the City was reaching a voluntary agreement.

In April we will also be preparing comments on the City of St. Paul’s 1-to-4-unit housing zoning study. The City is considering increasing the homes you can have on a single-family property (already you can add an accessory dwelling unit) from 2 to, in some cases, 6.

Cottage cluster units would have a central greenspace and/or a central building; and while they do not license tiny homes directly (plumbing is still a requirement in these plans) they appear to get much closer. It is certain that these changes will increase options, many with smaller footprints that could be more affordable. Look for info about a May or June city council testimony.

The next chapter meeting is April 20 (the third Thursday of the month) 5p to 6:30p. It will be held by Zoom.