Title
Hamm’s resolution of surplus property, District 4, Ward 7
Body
WHEREAS, the Housing and Redevelopment Authority of the City of Saint Paul, Minnesota (the “HRA”) is a public body corporate and politic established, existing, and operating under the laws of the State of Minnesota pursuant to the provisions of Minnesota Statutes, Section 469.001, et seq. (the “Act”); and
WHEREAS, the HRA is empowered by law, including the Act, to adopt and enforce this Resolution in pursuit of its mandate to engage in appropriate housing, development, and redevelopment projects; to remove or prevent the spread of conditions of blight or deterioration; to bring substandard buildings and improvements into compliance with public standards; to dispose of HRA-owned land for private development; and to improve the tax base and the financial stability of the community; and
WHEREAS, the HRA owns approximately 4.8 acres of land that is improved with eight vacant and deteriorated buildings, and other paved and unpaved areas, all located at 694 and 680 Minnehaha Avenue East (the “Hamm’s Site”); and
WHEREAS, portions of vacant land on the Hamm’s Site (the “Subject Land”) are encumbered by general obligation bond restrictions because the HRA received State of Minnesota general obligation bond funds of $403,0000 to construct certain improvements on the Hamm’s Site under a Grant Agreement made with the State of Minnesota dated December 4, 2012 (the “GO Bond Grant”); and
WHEREAS, the legal description of the Subject Land is set forth in that certain Declaration in favor of the State of Minnesota signed by the HRA on April 22, 2014 and recorded with the Ramsey County Recorder on April 25, 2014 as Doc. No. A04544282, which Declaration must be satisfied and released when the HRA transfers title to the selected tentative developer; and
WHEREAS, the HRA has determined that the Hamm’s Site, including the Subject Land, is no longer needed by the HRA for the purposes for which the Subject Land was bettered and the anticipated sales price will be consistent with its fair market value; and
WHEREAS, as a reflection of the HRA’s intent to sell the Hamm’s Site, the HRA publicly issued a request for proposals for the purchase and redevelopment of the Hamm’s Site (the “RFP”) on October 18, 2021, all in compliance with the HRA’s disposition policy and applicable law, and, after in-depth consideration of proposals by the RFP committee and the finding of a significant public purpose, the HRA Board of Commissioners adopted Resolution 23-71 naming JB Vang Partners, Inc. or its subsidiaries as the tentative developer of the Hamm’s Site (the “Tentative Developer”) to acquire the Hamm’s Site and then to construct a mixed-use and affordable housing development; and
WHEREAS, the purpose of this official action is to comply with the requirements under Minnesota Statutes Section 16A.695 (Subd. 3) and the GO Bond Grant to release the Subject Land from the GO Bond Grant restrictions; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Board of Commissioners of the Housing and Redevelopment Authority of the City of Saint Paul, Minnesota, that:
The Subject Land and the Hamm’s Site are no longer needed by the HRA.
The sale of the Hamm’s Site to the Tentative Developer is consistent with applicable law and with HRA goals for redevelopment of the Hamm’s site.