A Critical Two Days
With the city elections tomorrow and an important city council hearing Wednesday, the next two days are critically important for Saint Paul. Here are four things we are working on…
City Elections TOMORROW - Nov 4th
Support Sustain Saint Paul Endorsees
Re-Elect Mayor Melvin Carter
Sustain Saint Paul has endorsed Mayor Melvin Carter for re-election. Under Mayor Carter’s leadership, Saint Paul has taken essential steps toward improving the sustainability of Saint Paul. We have been proud to work with his administration on a variety of priorities over the years, including pro-housing measures like the 1-to-4 Zoning Study that legalized duplexes/triplexes/quadplexes citywide, the elimination of parking minimums, and the passage and defense of low-carbon transportation initiatives like the Saint Paul Bike Plan.
There’s a lot of work left to do to create a fiscally and environmentally sustainable city, and Saint Paul needs a champion who understands that Saint Paul has to take bold action in support of density and sustainable development, undeterred by the vocal minority of the city that fears and resents change. That is why we are supporting Mayor Carter on election day, and we urge you to do the same.
Vote Yes for a Fairer Saint Paul
Sustain Saint Paul has endorsed the Vote Yes for a Fairer St Paul campaign to join every other major city in Minnesota by passing Administrative Citations. This common-sense tool will provide the city with a middle-ground enforcement option between a strongly-worded letter, which is often ineffective, and criminal citation, which are often too slow or too harsh. Our city needs an effective tool to take on absentee landlords, shady bosses, and other bad actors who break our ordinances. Let’s give it that tool by voting YES on City Question 1 tomorrow.
Still learning about Administrative Citations? Check out these Op-Eds from supporters!
Ward 3 CM Saura Jost and former Ward 4 CM Matt Privratsky on how Administrative Citations could have been used to address specific problem properties like Madison Equities downtown or the Midway CVS in this piece for the Star Tribune.
Sustain Saint Paul leader Chris Olendorf debunks the arguments against Administrative Citations in this piece for the Pioneer Press.
Sustain Saint Paul co-chair Melissa Wenzel writes on the purpose of Administrative Citations in this piece for the Pioneer Press.
Kera Peterson, President of the Saint Paul Regional Labor Federation, AFL-CIO, highlights how Administrative Citations protect workers in this piece for the MN Reformer.
Tenants’ rights attorneys Jessica Szuminski (Housing Justice Center) and Samuel Spaid (HOME Line) on how Administrative Citations protect renters in this piece for MinnPost.
Small business owner Wes Burdine on how Administrative Citations create a fairer Saint Paul for small businesses by reigning in bad actors in this piece for the Pioneer Press.
Tom Basgen on how Administrative Citations will improve the lives of renters by giving the city an essential enforcement tool in this piece for the Villager. He also corrects some of the misinformation circulating about the policy.
City Council Hearing WEDNESDAY - Nov. 5th
Advocate for a sustainable city at this important City Council meeting
Traditional Neighborhood Zoning Districts - Wed. 11/5
Sustain Saint Paul has been campaigning to expand mixed-use Traditional Neighborhood Districts (T Districts) in our zoning code to make it easier for small local businesses like coffee shops and corner stores to open up in every neighborhood. Now, the City Council will have a hearing on Wednesday, November 5th at 3:30pm (yes, that’s the day after the election!) to approve the Planning Commission’s recommended T-District updates.
Join us in supporting walkable and vibrant city by submitting a public comment by emailing Contact-Council@ci.stpaul.mn.us by TOMORROW, Nov. 4th. Feel free to copy-paste the message below:
“My name is [NAME] and I live at [Address]. Not only do I enthusiastically support the common-sense amendments to the T Districts recommended by the Planning Department and Planning Commission, I would also like to see the City Council officially direct the Planning Commission to expand T-Districts more broadly throughout the city.
Are you especially committed to neighborhood shops? Join us to deliver your testimony in-person at the November 5th hearing!
Midway CVS Demolition - Wed. 11/5
Also at the same meeting, the City Council will hold a Hearing on November 5th considering an action regarding the CVS at Snelling/University. The current recommendation from the Legislative Hearing Officer is that City Council order the building removed within 15 days of the Council Public Hearing with no option to repair. Check out Sustain Saint Paul’s official statement on this watershed moment for Saint Paul, and then tell the city how you feel about this property by submitting public comment to Contact-Council@ci.stpaul.mn.us.