Title
Authorizing the exercise of Joint Powers with Ramsey County to carry out an Emergency Rental Assistance Tenant Application Program; approving program guidelines; and authorizing the execution of necessary agreements.
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WHEREAS, On March 13, 2020, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz issued Executive Order 20-01 declaring a Peacetime Emergency and coordinating Minnesota’s strategy to protect Minnesotans from the COVID-19 public health emergency pursuant to Minn. Stat. § 12.31, Subd. 2; said declaration has been extended and remains in effect; and
WHEREAS, On March 15, 2020, Saint Paul Mayor Melvin Carter III issued an Emergency Declaration in response to the COVID-19 public health emergency pursuant to Minn. Stat. § 12.29; which the Saint Paul City Council consented to on March 17, 2020, and which has been extended and remains in effect; and
WHEREAS, the City of Saint Paul (the “City”) has incurred and continues to incur unplanned expenditures and substantially different expenditures than previously budgeted due to necessary response to and mitigation of the COVID-19 public health emergency; and
WHEREAS, the COVID-19 public health emergency has affected and continues to affect housing stability across the country, the state of Minnesota, and the City of Saint Paul and immediate action is needed to address said housing instability; and
WHEREAS, on December 27, 2020, the United States Congress passed the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, Pub. L. No. 116-260 (the “Act”), in response to the COVID-19 public health emergency; and
WHEREAS, the Act authorized the United States Department of the Treasury (“Treasury”) to make payments to certain recipients for the purpose of providing Emergency Rental Assistance (the “Emergency Rental Assistance Program” or “Program”); and
WHEREAS, Treasury distributed $25 billion in Program aid to eligible units of government, with recipients in Minnesota, including the State of Minnesota, the cities of Saint Paul and...
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