Title
Directing the City Clerk to notify the County Auditor to place a ballot question on the November 3, 2026 ballot regarding allowing tenants to make repairs to their building and approving the title and language for that ballot question.
Body
WHEREAS, City Charter, Section 8.01 allows the people to have the right to propose ordinances, to require ordinances to be submitted to a vote; and
WHEREAS, City Charter Section 8.02 provides for an amendment to the City Code upon the petition of voters equal in number to eight percent of the total votes cast for the office of mayor in the last preceding city election in the case of initiative; and
WHEREAS, the last State General Election held in the City of Saint Paul was on November 4, 2025, in which there were 66,769 total voters in the City and eight percent of the total voters is 5,342.
WHEREAS, a petition seeking an amendment of the Saint Paul City Code to allow tenants to make repairs to their building after written notice to the landlord, and to deduct an amount not exceeding $500 or one-half month’s rent to pay for the repair was filed with the Office of the City Clerk on June 10, 2026; and
WHEREAS, the petition was found to be insufficient to satisfy the minimum signature requirements under City Charter Section 8.02; and
WHEREAS, the petitioner submitted additional signatures with the Office of the City Clerk on July 20, 2026; and
WHEREAS, the additional signatures were verified to satisfy the minimum signature requirements of City Charter Section 8.02; and
WHEREAS, Minnesota Statutes § 205.16 requires that the City Clerk provide to the County Auditor written notice of a ballot question at least 84 days before the election, which in this case is on or before August 10, 2026; and
WHEREAS, the written notice must include the title and language for the ballot question; and
WHEREAS, the City Attorney has approved the title of the ballot question; now therefore be it
RESOLVED, that the City Clerk is directed to notify the County Auditor to place a ballot question as to the proposed Saint Paul City Code Amendment on the November 3, 2026 ballot; and be it further;
RESOLVED, that the City Council adopts the title and the language of the ballot question as follows:
Title: Creating Chapter 34A of the Saint Paul Legislative Code
Question Language: Should the City adopt the proposed Ordinance pertaining to a tenants right to repair? The ordinance would allow tenants to make repairs to their building after written notice to the landlord and deduct an amount not exceeding $500 or one-half month’s rent to pay for the repair.
A "Yes" vote amends the City of Saint Paul's Legislative Code to adopt the Proposed Ordinance pertaining to a tenant's right to repair. A "No" vote will result in no changes to the City's Legislative Code.