Details Meeting Name: Housing & Redevelopment Authority Agenda status: Final Meeting date/time: 10/14/2020 2:00 PM Minutes status: Final   Meeting location: Council Chambers, City Hall Please see below for meeting guidelines due to the COVID-19 pandemic emergency. Published agenda: Agenda Published minutes: Minutes   Meeting video: Video   Attachments: Meeting Items (8) Public Comments (11) 8 records Group Clear sorting Clear grouping Group by Type Group by Result Export Export to Excel Export to PDF Export to Word Show: Legislation only Legislation only All agenda items File # Ver. Agenda # Type Title Action Result Action Details Video RES 20-1418 1 1 Resolution Resolution amending the Redevelopment Plan for the Ford Site Redevelopment Project Area; approving the adoption of a Second Amendment to the Tax Increment Financing Plan for the Ford Site Redevelopment Tax Increment Financing District; and approving an HRA budget amendment; District 15, Ward 3 Adopted Pass Action details Video RES 20-1419 1 2 Resolution Resolution authorizing the issuance and sale of conduit revenue refunding bonds of the HRA and the City of Minneapolis on behalf of Children’s Health Care and the Execution of Documents, District 9, Ward 2 Adopted Pass Action details Video RES 20-1420 1 3 Resolution Resolution authorizing the issuance and sale of conduit multifamily housing revenue bonds for the Parkway Apartments project to be located at 1428 East 7th Street; approving the execution of related documents; adopting a Housing Program; and approving and authorizing a loan of up to $1,500,000 in HOME funds, District 2, Ward 7 Adopted Pass Action details Video RES 20-1421 1 4 Resolution Resolution amending the 2020 HRA Loan Enterprise fund budget for Business Assistance Programs, Citywide Adopted As Amended Pass Action details Video RES 20-1422 1 5 Resolution Resolution approving the issuance of a $100,000 loan under the Job Opportunity Fund program to Hi Hi, LLC, 1079 Rice Street, District 6, Ward 5 Adopted Pass Action details Video RES 20-1263 2 6 Resolution Resolution approving a temporary policy regarding the issuance of conduit revenue bonds for the benefit of Charter School Projects, Citywide Laid Over Pass Action details Video RES PH 20-227 1 7 Resolution-Public Hearing Resolution authorizing the issuance and sale of conduit multifamily housing revenue bonds for the Fairview & University project to be located at the intersection of Fairview Avenue & University Avenue; approving the execution of related documents; and adopting a Housing Program, District 11, Ward 4 Adopted Pass Action details Not available RES PH 20-228 1 8 Resolution-Public Hearing Resolution approving the issuance and sale of Conduit Revenue Refunding Bonds, Series 2020, for the Amherst H. Wilder Foundation Project, located at 451 Lexington Parkway and authorizing the execution of documents relating thereto, District 13, Ward 1 Adopted Pass Action details Video  Add New Comment 11 records Group Clear sorting Clear grouping Group by File # Group by Name Group by District Group by Opinion Export Export to Excel Export to PDF Export to Word File # Date  Name District Opinion Comment Action RES 20-1263 3/9/2021 10:30 PM Michael Kurhajetz   Against Please don't p*** this resolution. Charter schools are a critical element of the Twin Cities' education ecosystem, and p***ing a resolution of this nature would make it harder for charter schools to provide a high-quality education to all kids in St. Paul, especially in places where a high-quality district school is unavailable. RES 20-1263 3/9/2021 8:36 PM Myisha Holley   Against p***ing this resolution would harm the ability of my children's school to provide a quality learning environment and experience for your students, teachers, and community. Charter schools connect and give children the access and supports the they don't receive at traditional public schools. Our children are falling through the cracks with traditional public schools. Charter schools offer services and ***istance for families and students. My children are not and have not been bullied by their peers or educators since attending Charter school. They feel protected, safe and free to learn. To vote for this resolution would be detrimental to not just my family but to all the other children and families that trust and know their children are getting more than just a quality education. +1 RES 20-1263 3/9/2021 4:25 PM Laurie Mako   Against I am asking you to not p*** this resolution regarding funding that is available to charter schools. Charter schools are an important part of the education system. We have been offering choice in learning for families for many years now and want to continue to meet the needs of these children. By doing this, you are really hurting our children and families and limiting the positive affects we can have in St. Paul. These children and families have put their trust in us and we are working hard to meet their needs. I am asking you to continue to allow us to receive the money we need to help reduce this learning gap. Every child learns differently, and we should be thinking about the fact that maybe not every school is for every child and that charter schools should be allowed to help to get rid of the achievement gap and to continue educating children in St. Paul. We have many, many success stories as a school and want to continue to provide the education that our students deserve RES 20-1263 3/9/2021 1:54 PM Nicole Crashell   Against As a school employee enthusiastic about education, I am writing to ask you to not to adopt a blanket policy against issuing conduit revenue bonds to charter schools. Charter schools are an important and valuable option for families. We need to keep students at the center, and while St. Paul Public Schools work for most students, some are better served by charter schools with programming more tailored to their needs. Our city is home to some excellent charter schools designed specifically to meet the needs of student populations that have been traditionally underserved. A blanket policy blocking the issuance of conduit revenue bonds would stand in the way of progress for schools that are effectively serving our city’s youth. Nonprofits, including charter schools, are a huge benefit to our city, ensuring a strong system of services and supports, and should continue to qualify for the conduit revenue bonds. +2 RES 20-1263 3/9/2021 1:00 PM Sarah Brunner   Against Please retain the ability to guarantee bonds for various projects, including but not limited to charter schools. These bonds help our schools save tens of thousands of dollars AND save tax payer dollars. Our charter schools are an excellent option for those unable to pay private schools and unhappy with their neighborhood school performance. Please support our charter schools! +1 RES 20-1263 3/9/2021 6:20 AM Chancey Anderson Tauer   Against P***ing this resolution would harm the ability of our school to provide a quality learning environment and experience for our students, teachers, and community. Please do not p*** it! RES 20-1263 3/8/2021 10:15 PM Lisa Linnell   Against I am disappointed to see this proposed moratorium on charter school's ability to use city-back bonds on the Council agenda again. Public charter schools that are excited to invest in St Paul would be punished by p***age of this resolution. My daughter attends a charter school that recently invested in a building project in the Como; it draws K-8 students to St Paul from across the Twin Cities and creates a pathway to send its graduates on to advanced language studies at St Paul Central High School (my daughter will be starting at St Paul Central 18 months from now). The conduit revenue bond moratorium being considered by the Council would have stymied this investment in kids, education, and St Paul. The Council should reject this short-sighted proposal and continue to support investment in education infrastructure across St Paul. +1 RES 20-1263 3/8/2021 9:25 PM Nick Rice   Against Both of my children attend charter schools because they provide a much better, and more individualized education. Frankly, I toured all of the St. Paul public schools near my house and would not want to send my children to any. Charter schools are already providing this education with less money than SPPS receives per pupil. P***ing this resolution would harm the ability of my children's schools to provide the high quality learning environment and experiences that they have been getting. The teachers already make less money that SPPS teachers...how are they supposed to live with their salaries, these teachers are dedicated to helping students and not concerned with the money....but they need a living wage. Inflation goes up and teacher salaries remain the stagnant. Charter Schools ARE public schools, why do you want to take money away from our children!!! RES 20-1263 10/14/2020 1:38 AM Grace Schmitt     This is my second post-script, written because the Legistar System has now recorded the submission I just wrote on 10/13/20 at 8:35 p.m. as having been written on 10/14/2020 at 1:32 a.m. Help. Who is in charge of the validity of information? RES 20-1263 10/14/2020 1:32 AM Grace Schmitt     This is a post-script to my earlier comment opposing RES 20-1263. I am mortified to see that my original comment was edited by Legistar's algorithm (or, is it the City of St. Paul?) to imply that I used a profane word in my comment in opposition to RES 20-1263. Obviously I do not spell with ***. Nor would I ever use profane language in speaking to the leadership of our City. For the system to presume such makes me really sad. And, now, I am hesitant to even submit this comment as I do not feel confident that this will appear in the authentic manner in which it is sent. I hope it does. RES 20-1263 10/13/2020 7:07 PM Grace Schmitt   Against A council member was quoted in the September 13th Pioneer Press as saying, "We've identified that charter schools are causing a financial issue within the city...". Singling out charter schools as the sole tax-exempt business for which conduit revenue bonds are halted is grossly unfair; and, it diverts attention from the broader issue and vital need of effective education for all our children. If charter schools are "rapidly expanding", why is that? If St. Paul Public School enrollment is "declining significantly", why is that? Parents are "voting with their feet." Why is that? What is at the root of this movement? Please do not obfuscate the real issue by p***ing Res 20-1263. If proposals for conduit revenue bonds need to be reduced, then apply the halting of consideration of proposals to ALL eligible entities. Thank you.