15 West Kellogg Blvd.  
Saint Paul, MN 55102  
City of Saint Paul  
Minutes - Final  
Legislative Hearings  
Marcia Moermond, Legislative Hearing Officer  
Mai Vang, Hearing Coordinator  
Joanna Zimny, Executive Assistant  
legislativehearings@ci.stpaul.mn.us  
651-266-8585  
Tuesday, July 7, 2026  
9:00 AM  
Remote  
RLH FCO 26-51  
15  
Appeal of Ambe McKenzie, tenant of unit 5, to a Fire Certificate of  
Occupancy Correction Notice at 683 KANSAS AVENUE.  
Noecker  
Sponsors:  
Grant to August 7, 2026 for compliance.  
Ambé McKenzie, occupant of unit 5, appeared via phone  
Mr. Jackson, occupant of unit 4, appeared via phone  
Unknown woman, occupant, appeared via phone  
[Moermond gives background of appeals process]  
Staff report by Supervisor Keith Demarest: this is owned by TWV Limited Partnership.  
It appears to be a rowhome/town home situation with individual units that go up and  
down with a basement, with 4 to 6 per row. February 18, 2026 a multi-page complaint  
was delivered from somewhere within Department of Safety and Inspections. I received  
a packet several days later after it came into Department of Safety and Inspections.  
Once received I began sending out information regarding a follow up inspection. March  
5, 2026 I made my initial inspection at the property. Notice was sent to property owner  
at that time. Some of the findings include kitchen sink drain line dripping, upstairs  
bathtub overflowing through ceiling, heat deflector shield removed from heater in  
kitchen, smoke alarms removed in 2 places (kitchen and basement). Some repairs to  
a vanity upstairs. Hole in upstairs door. Upstairs bedroom ceiling bubbling, needs  
scrape and repaint. There are some condensation events in this unit with dirt dripped  
throughout the walls, so most of the unit needs a repaint, and new vent fan needed  
upstairs.  
April 9, 2026 reinspection and new orders issued, little to nothing done. May 8, 2026 I  
reinspected again, new orders issued, nothing done. May 28 2026 an email was  
received from someone who only identified themselves as “the tenant” and the end of  
the email said “I am armed today, no one will come in here”. June 9, 2026 reinspection  
check in done, no change, new orders issued. June 22, 2026 a report of a structure  
fire at the property. Upon arriving the tenant advised they were on a zoom call with  
court, but a fire started on the stove top and his daughter had fallen down a flight of  
stairs. Upon my inspection of the kitchen I didn’t feel or observe any heat or smoke on  
the stovetop or in the kitchen. The stovetop was disassembled. I arrived on the scene  
a few minutes after the St. Paul Fire Department. An individual was transported by  
ambulance from the scene. I did issue new orders for the stovetop to be repaired, as it  
is in a state of disassembly.  
McKenzie: let’s start at the stove. I’d been going through that for a while. Some sort of  
electrical, there was something there that would shock us when we turned it on or off.  
The issue is maintenance either doesn’t see it or believe or you put in an order and  
they don’t come. Then when they do they say they fixed it, and it isn’t. Then things  
come up missing out of the house. When I was saying that, I wrote him thinking I  
could complain to the City who sends the inspector, who is the only other person I’ve  
seen who actually came. Let out my frustrations and protect myself and my daughter  
because they come here and steal, they come when I’m not here and intimidate my  
kid, but outside of that when it comes to the inspections—they pulled wires upstairs  
for the electrical work---I got a piece in the bathroom I can put in and show the  
electrical doesn’t work. Same with unit 4. They also have outlets that don’t work. I  
knew all the problems with most of the people’s units when I called because we all  
have the same issues. The complaint is more like saying “why are they long gone from  
some of these units and the issues are still like mine?” What’s the issue, even though  
after I filed the ETRA and the escrow, one of the courts used number four or five of the  
ETRA and administer actual licensed people to fix the property instead of letting these  
people run in and out of my house. They have been doing that since June, and it’s the  
same issues I came in the door complaining about. They’ve fixed the ceiling 20 times.  
I get nothing and then deal with something missing. I’m reporting this to the City.  
Before I moved here this problem was known. That’s one of the issues too—I’ve been  
trying to get the actual reports for this property and it is like the reports are sealed or  
something. When Rebecca Noecker and Melvin Carter and Tina Smith approached the  
property, Angie Weise the Department of Safety and Inspections lead and HUD  
inspectors all made reports about this property that were divulged to DOGE. You can’t  
get any information from DOGE so I figured you should be able to get it from the City  
inspectors. I was denied that. As tenants we were told it is my fault they’re going  
through this because they felt the inspector was harder on them for issues they  
created than the actual issues with the property.  
Apartment 3, 2, 8, 4, 7—everyone here has some things still going on in their unit and  
they don’t want to call him back because they’re going to get us in trouble with the  
office and they’re going to tell us our kids can’t ride bikes and this and that. We’re  
really being shunned and treated bad, but we lived through the winter with no heat. We  
lived here with no hot water. Space heaters plugged in burning out outlets. No one is  
listening to us or documenting this. We wanted to get help. I have here Mr. Jackson  
from number 4.  
Jackson: how are you doing?  
Moermond: sounds like you’ve done an ETRA and rent escrow. Are you represented in  
all of this? SMRLS maybe?  
McKenzie: no. SMRLS said they’re backed up due to all the immigration cases, so  
they can’t help. The DLN helped in the beginning but when we said trial they said they  
couldn’t help due to all the evictions from immigration and other low income families so  
they couldn’t do a trial. There’s really no legal help when we call around. When it came  
to the ETRA and escrow at the last zoom court, I was there, present and at first I  
couldn’t even get in. I couldn’t hear or see but I could hear the judge and he was saying  
he was going to dismiss it if I couldn’t get in, then I got my face on but he couldn’t  
hear, but he dismissed it anyway and I didn’t have any voice. I’m ordering the  
transcripts for $400 just to prove to the world I showed up for my court hearing and I  
couldn’t get in due to technology and got my case dismissed with prejudice. I didn’t  
understand that because during the trial—I’m not a lawyer—and I know about perjury.  
There were instances where they said I was disrespectful to the maintenance guy, but I  
recorded the maintenance guy that day. I was asking him about the exhaust fan they’d  
taken out. Asking them to complete the repair. I wasn’t even home when he came in.  
I’m trying to prove this is perjury and then they said I spit at the maintenance guy and  
told the Hispanic guy I would call ICE on them. We’re all out here watching them drop  
the dumpster off and that day, I didn’t do that. I went to the Department of Safety and  
Inspections office to ask them to give us a copy of the order that ordered us not to  
have any of these things on the property anymore. We got a notice from the rental  
office saying that the City ordered us to do this, then I said we should be able to  
appeal, but you can’t get any records from the office. Keith came to the property and  
they’re telling all of us that he did it. I went to him and he said no, I don’t do that. That  
would be City orders or something, that’s not his department. I went to Department of  
Safety and Inspections again and they said they don’t even see the orders, I’ve been  
trying to talk to the supervisor. I’m just getting the runaround with any type of  
paperwork for any inspection prior to this or after this.  
Moermond: I think we can field some of these concerns. Mr. Demarest, I see a letter in  
front of me is issued to the tenant. Was the same letter sent to the owner?  
Demarest: yes.  
Moermond: first, you can absolutely get the records of anything to do with the City. The  
best way to do that is to file for those records, which you can do online, and look for  
GOV QA on the City’s website. Then the City is responsible for getting that  
documentation to you. This requires them to look everywhere and gives them a  
timeclock to respond to your request.  
As far as the difficulties with the landlord, I don’t have control over that relationship. I  
can look at whether the orders were valid and correctly written and the timeline for  
doing these repairs. I know your appeal says you want to exercise your right to repair.  
McKenzie: I wanted the authority taken from management, like they’re doing in North  
Minneapolis, and they have a real restoration company doing the work with real  
electricians and plumbers. Stop sending these guys in who come over and smoke a  
blunt, don’t do any work, then leave.  
Moermond: I understand, and what I will say is right now in St. Paul the tools you have  
are the ones you exercised which is ETRA and rent escrow. That’s what state law  
provides for. There is a proposal to put in place a Right to Repair Ordinance. That’s  
possibly the future though. The current thing would be the ETRA.  
What is it you are looking for? I can’t give you permission to do the repairs yourself.  
Only court can do that.  
McKenzie: and the court bowed out. I’m looking for the Council to step in.  
Moermond: they have no legal authority to do that right now.  
McKenzie: the law isn’t able to be of help?  
Moermond: the right to repair is local to Minneapolis. It isn’t a state law.  
McKenzie: this is going off I even moved in and found all these problems, and I was  
told it was going to be completely remodeled. I ended up homeless until I had to  
accept these conditions and move in. We tenants know for a fact the City had the first  
responsibility as they were here in April and knew all of those conditions. That’s why we  
are asking for records.  
Moermond: I don’t have any control at all over the landlord-tenant relationship here.  
That would have been the purview of the court system when you were in front of them. I  
have the current set of orders in front of me. Looking for older records is great, but you  
can only appeal a current thing and come up with a recommendation. I don’t have the  
ability or jurisdiction to be able to look at that—  
McKenzie: the licensing. Who licensed them to do this? The City? The Council? The  
inspector?  
Moermond: in Minneapolis the landlord gets the license. In St. Paul it is the building  
itself that gets the Certificate of Occupancy. That’s the way it is now. I just have this  
current list of conditions. Those went to you as well as the owner. They are traditionally  
things a landlord would address by deadline. We can look at deadlines for work to get  
done.  
McKenzie: we’re asking the City for help. Some people are scared to speak up  
because they dangle your housing over your head. Now there are units that have been  
inspected, the stove doesn’t work, and no one will believe that. You’re stuck with that.  
No closet doors. Those aren’t even in the reports. The electrical issues aren’t in the  
report.  
Unnamed lady: my hot water wasn’t working, my heat wasn’t working, they had to give  
me a heater.  
McKenzie: and now we’re past those winter months, but these are the things that got  
ignored.  
Moermond: did the inspector hear from you folks about the hot water and heat issues?  
Unnamed lady: yes.  
McKenzie: yes, everyone will tell you that. That’s why we want the City Councilmember  
Rebecca Noeker to come here, because we aren’t being heard. Railings are falling  
apart—that’s a safety hazard in itself. Hole in the roof. These aren’t orders, do you  
understand what I’m saying? I’m the one who gave them the leeway to know what is  
what around certain issues. The remediation wasn’t done right, unit 2 will tell you that.  
Why would you want someone to come in your house and scrape mold without any  
protection? That’s not real mold remediation crew. No PPE for anyone. That should tell  
you the type of conduct that’s being allowed and we feel like that’s because every unit  
is black and no one will stand up for us. I got a bunch of deferred negative statement  
and they’re not renewing my lease. I’m getting whipped like a slave.  
Moermond: one other resource---have you reached out to Homeline?  
McKenzie: my CADI worker directed me to ever single legal resource there was. We  
got the same answer from all of them. They aren’t doing American cases, they are  
doing immigration right now. They’re swamped with that.  
Moermond: these are correction orders now, and I know a lot of these places deal with  
evictions and condemnations as unsafe as top priorities so they can’t get further down  
to deal with orders like these.  
McKenzie: that’s why we are asking the Council, she knew this, she’s the same  
member as last year. The condemnation level isn’t just being informed now.  
Department of Safety and Inspections wasn’t just learning now.  
Moermond: I can’t do anything about the older issues. The ONLY thing in front of me  
right now is the current orders from June 9th. I can’t look at past things, just where  
things are at this moment in time. The other way to deal with the past communication  
would be through the Courts, calls could be made for sure, you can get a copy of  
written records with the city. Right now, are you in disagreement with any of the things  
written up in the orders? Do you think something is missing from them? Thoughts on  
that?  
McKenzie: we have a GFI breaker missing, hallway lights missing, repair on the roof  
missing, stove is gone, refrigerator is gone, but those actions I have to take the brunt  
of not wanting something in my house. Another issue is those pieces off the order--  
-they were reported but never made it to the order in fact—but if they couldn’t see it  
they said they couldn’t record it.  
Moermond: all I have here are issues for Unit 5, your unit. Mr. Demarest, can you tell  
me was this an inspection only for this area? Are there orders for the entire property?  
What is the situation with that?  
Demarest: back in March when I responded to this referral, upon completing Mr.  
McKenzie’s unit, I was flagged down by 2 other residents, I don’t recall the unit  
numbers. They asked items to be addressed in their units. Those orders were written  
up on previous orders and have since been corrected and closed out.  
McKenzie: orders before you gave an order?  
Demarest: from March.  
Moermond: regarding the outlet in the bathroom, the GFI outlet, was that originally a  
GFI outlet?  
McKenzie: a pretty old GFI. Been there a while.  
Moermond: I ask them because it has to be fixed as GFI if it originally was, but if isn’t  
currently we can’t make them convert it. That’s what courts have said to us. Hallway  
light, repair of roof, and the refrigerator is gone? Not working? Missing entirely?  
McKenzie: I got a violation for removing the broken refrigerator and the loss of my food  
and all that, I was documenting it. The management in court said I never reported it,  
but I had proof. I’m being denied, and they’re allowing the other party to lie and say it  
wasn’t reported. That’s violation of the law, that’s why I asked that question.  
Moermond: Mr. Demarest, did you check any of those specifics when you were there?  
Demarest: if I didn’t see them—I was probably focused on other issues. These didn’t  
stand out at the time for me to addressed.  
McKenzie: you said if you can’t see it you can’t write it down. We had a conversation  
about that when you were here. But I’m living with these issues, that’s why I kept eyes  
on the stove so my daughter didn’t use it---that’s why it was taken apart. She’s 13.5.  
She could start a fire when I’m not there. I felt like things are being written up like I  
destroyed the fridge and stove and its all me and we’re just kicking him out and he’s  
just this crazy guy. We got turned on by the City and the City and the office got  
together and wrote things on us and we started getting violations all of a sudden and  
being retaliated on. Now, the City won’t help us. HUD won’t answer the phone. Where  
do we go from here?  
Moermond: you’re talking to the City right now, and we’re really trying. When you have  
the list of things they were told to do, when do you think is reasonable for the landlord  
to have these things done?  
McKenzie: I met with the owner of the property when I was at a community meeting and  
we made an agreement they can come in. I think they’re waiting until I move out.  
Moermond: when are you moving out?  
McKenzie: I don’t have a choice because they aren’t renewing my lease because I tried  
to fight back. They want me out by the 30th, or if I can get a lawyer I can do the  
eviction process and get this back in court, but it’s all after the fact. When they  
repaired the ceiling it was over Memorial weekend, I wasn’t home, they had repaired the  
leak in the ceiling, Thursday I had court, turned on the stove, ran the water, showed  
them the stuff with the GFI, hallways, then when I came down the stove was lit. I said it  
isn’t my responsibility to put out the fire, the stove isn’t important to them. He said it is  
court ordered that I do that right now, I did what he said. That was during Zoom court,  
there was actually a fire on camera in court. That’s why I’m saying the validity of  
everything I’m saying—even by the court—was looked at like I was crazy and my fault.  
When the Hispanic came in to yell at my daughter to run down the stairs and she hit  
the bottom steps where the water was coming out of the ceiling, she bust her head,  
the judge called the St. Paul Fire Department who called the ambulance and at that  
time I was having an issue so I got admitted. A light stroke I guess. Then I ended up  
on medicine.  
Moermond: where we got with this is, I’m going to put a deadline in [place for your  
landlord to address these things of August 7th. A month from today and if those things  
aren’t done, then Fire Inspections can take stronger and further enforcement action.  
Referred to the City Council due back on 7/8/2026