St. Paul Housing Strategy: Mayor Seeks $11M in Grants
City leaders are negotiating a shift from clearing camps to permanent housing, with the mayor insisting local taxpayers should not cover the full cost.
By Justin Brooks ·
St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her stated that the city does not have $11 million available in its current budget to fund a new homelessness initiative proposed by the City Council. The plan represents a strategic pivot away from clearing encampments toward outreach, temporary shelters, and permanent housing units.
Her told 5 Eyewitness News that while she supports the council's general direction, the city has already invested substantial funds in the sector. "There’s not $11 million sitting around for us to put into this," she said. "So we want to make sure we can close the gap into this." Her indicated that the city is actively seeking contributions from county, state, and federal partners to fill that financial void.
The mayor also addressed the $2.2 million spent earlier this year by St. Paul and Ramsey County taxpayers to clear an encampment at Pig’s Eye Park. She defended that expenditure, noting that the funds secured shelter beds that remain available to residents today. Her emphasized that the city is not abandoning its current operational strategy while seeking new money.
"We have never changed or wavered on that position," Her said regarding the ongoing rolling closures of encampments. "We have made commitments to residents to do that, and we continue to move forward with that plan." This dual approach aims to maintain immediate order in public spaces while building a longer-term infrastructure for housing stability.
Council President Rebecca Noecker provided a timeline for resolving the funding gap. She told reporters she hopes to secure the necessary resources within the next 60 days. Noecker stated that if the funding is not secured by that deadline, she does not plan to ask local taxpayers to cover the remaining cost.
The city is currently exploring various funding sources while continuing its established practice of closing homeless encampments. The final decision on the $11 million plan will depend on whether external partners step in to cover the bulk of the expense.
Source: KSTP 5 Eyewitness News
