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Accepting the gift of $2,000 from the Saint Paul and Minnesota Foundation and $2,000 from the Saint Paul Fire Foundation, and amending the Department of Safety Inspections budget to provide emergency lodging to certain individuals until other resources can be identified.
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WHEREAS, the Department of Safety and Inspections (DSI) has a Fire Certificate of Occupancy Program which inspects residential rental properties for compliance with relevant safety codes; and
WHEREAS, as part of the Fire Certificate of Occupancy Program, DSI responds to complaints from tenants whose heat has stopped working; and
WHEREAS, DSI responded to 210 complaints of no heat in 2018 and has responded to 30 complaints of no heat to date in 2019; and
WHEREAS, extreme cold and a lack of heat can put families and individuals in extremely dire situations, DSI and the Saint Paul Fire Department (SPFD) are forced to vacate properties with no heat for the safety of the residents; and
WHEREAS, when vacating a residence due to no operable heating system, DSI, with the assistance of the SPFD, attempt to locate a qualified contractor to perform emergency repairs, and if no contractor is available, DSI and SPFD attempt to locate a safe place including family, friends, or the Ramsey County Shelter Team to house the individuals; and
WHEREAS, occasionally SPFD and DSI are unable to identify a safe place for individuals to go; and
WHEREAS, the Saint Paul and Minnesota Foundation and Saint Paul Fire Foundation have graciously offered to pay $2,000 each for emergency lodging assistance in a reasonable hotel or motel to individuals as described above; and
WHEREAS, such assistance would only be provided until such time that the Ramsey County Shelter Team can house the individuals; and
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Saint Paul finds that there is a public purpose in providing this assistance; and
WHREAS, the Mayor, pursuant to Section 10.07.1 of the Charter of the City of Saint Paul, does certify that there are available for appropriation funds of $4,000 in excess of those in the 2019 DSI budget. Now therefore, be it
RESOLVED, that the City Council accepts the gift of $2,000 from the Saint Paul and Minnesota Foundation and $2,000 from the Saint Paul Fire Foundation to provide emergency short-term lodging assistance, and thanks the Foundations for their generous gifts; and be it further
RESOVLED, the Council of the City of Saint Paul, upon recommendation of the Mayor that $4,000 is available for appropriation in DSI’s budget, as heretofore adopted and amended by this Council, be hereby further amended in the particulars as specified in the attached financial analysis.