FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 18, 2022
CONTACT:
Kamal Baker
Office of Mayor Melvin Carter
763-381-1335
kamal.baker@ci.stpaul.mn.us
Mayor Carter Announces
41-Member Rent Stabilization Stakeholder Group
41-Member Group to Be Convened by the University of Minnesota's Center for Urban & Regional Affairs and
Will Meet February through May to Identify Considerations on Improving and Enhancing Rent Stabilization in Saint Paul
SAINT PAUL, MN - Today, Mayor Melvin Carter announced the formation of a 41-member Rent Stabilization Stakeholder Group. This group, convened by the University of Minnesota's Center for Urban & Regional Affairs (CURA), will meet February through May in virtual, live-streamed meetings to identify considerations on improving and enhancing rent stabilization in Saint Paul, with a final report completed by this summer.
“Saint Paul voters overwhelmingly voiced their support for rent stabilization in November,“ said Mayor Carter. “I believe in our ability to meet this housing crisis with thoughtful policy that drives our goals for both equity and growth.”
The group engages a broad array of voices including renters, homeowners, advocates, policy experts, owners, landlords, real estate, finance, development, and legal professionals, and will be co-chaired by Tony Sanneh, Founder & CEO of the Sanneh Foundation, and Phillip Cryan, Executive Vice President of SEIU Healthcare Minnesota. University of Minnesota CURA Director Edward Goetz, and CURA Director of Community Based Research C Terrence Anderson will convene and facilitate the group’s meetings and work.
RENT STABILIZATION STAKEHOLDER GROUP MEMBERS
- Katherine Banbury, resident
- Tony Barranco, Ryan Companies
- Cecile Bedor, CommonBond Communities
- Jay Benanav, resident
- Clinton Blaiser, Halverson and Blaiser Group Ltd
- Monica Bravo, West Side Community Organization
- Carolyn Brown, Community Stabilization Project
- Scott Cordes, Project for Pride and Living
- Phillip Cryan, SEIU Healthcare Minnesota
- Arline Datu, resident
- Malik Davis, Rondo Realty Group
- Khayree Duckett, Dominium Apartments
- Kelly Elkin, Old National Bank
- Tou Fang, property owner
- Jessica Fowler, YWCA
- Thomas Godfrey, resident
- Robbie Grossman, Saint Paul Area Association of REALTORS ®
- Tram Hoang, Alliance for Metropolitan Stability
- Myisha Holley, resident
- Rich Holst, property owner
- Mya Honeywell, realtor at the HIVE
- Abdiaziz Ibrahim, resident
- Rawnson Ivanoff, resident
- Nathaniel Khaliq, BNV Properties
- Chue Kue, property owner
- Bill Lindeke, resident
- Nene Matey-Keke, RNR Realty International
- Carin Mrotz, Jewish Community Action
- Thomas Nelson, Exeter Management
- Dalton Outlaw, Outlaw Development
- Kevin Pranis, LIUNA Minnesota & North Dakota
- B Rosas, Minnesota Youth Collective
- Tony Sanneh, Sanneh Foundation
- Katheryn Schneider, property owner
- Julie Schwartz, Lake Street Realty
- Emmanuel Speare, New City Properties
- D’Angelos Svenkeson, NEOO Partners Inc
- Chris Tolbert, Saint Paul City Council
- Marcus Troy, resident
- Kou Vang, JB Vang
- Clara Ware, resident
The Rent Stabilization Stakeholder Group will be convened facilitated by leaders from the University of Minnesota’s Center for Urban & Regional Affairs:
- Edward Goetz, CURA Director
- C Terrence Anderson, Director of Community Based Research
Staff from an array of City departments will participate in the process to provide additional support from this work, including:
- City Attorney’s Office
- Financial Services
- Planning & Economic Development
- Office of Financial Empowerment
- Mayor’s Office
ABOUT THE STAKEHOLDER GROUP PROCESS
The Rent Stabilization Stakeholder Group will convene February through May in virtual, live-streamed, with the first meeting scheduled for Tuesday, February 22 from 1pm to 3pm. The group will explore key components of rent stabilization policies that exist nationwide, including rent caps, variations of tenancy decontrol, what types of exceptions and exemptions exist, and ways to administer rent stabilization policy.
Co-chair Tony Sanneh established The Sanneh Foundation in 2003 to support community-based organizations and to assemble a supportive network within the community that provides positive environments for urban youth to become positive and productive adults. Since retiring from professional soccer in 2010, iIn addition to his executive leadership role with The Sanneh Foundation, Mr. Sanneh serves as a Sports Envoy on behalf of the SportsUnited Division of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. In this capacity, he has worked in Cyprus, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Ethiopia, Malaysia and Bolivia to further American cultural values of gender equity and respect for diversity.
Co-chair Phillip Cryan is Executive Vice President of SEIU Healthcare Minnesota, a union of over 50,000 healthcare workers in hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, and home care. Cryan led the campaign to change Minnesota law to extend the right to organize to consumer-directed home care workers and then the largest union election in state history, covering more than 20,000 workers. He holds a Masters in Public Policy from the Goldman School at the University of California, Berkeley, and has done extensive work in policy analysis, research and writing, in particular with regard to healthcare reform and U.S. foreign policy in Latin America.
The Rent Stabilization Stakeholder Group will identify considerations on improving and enhancing rent stabilization in Saint Paul identify considerations on improving and enhancing rent stabilization in Saint Paul, with a final report completed by this summer. The project budget is $49,900, paid for through the City’s Innovation Fund.
ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA’S CENTER FOR URBAN & REGIONAL AFFAIRS
The Center for Urban and Regional Affairs (CURA) works with community leaders and local government partners to produce knowledge that drives change, with a mission of connecting the resources of the University of Minnesota with the interests and needs of urban communities and the region for the benefit of all. CURA aligns University faculty, students, and other resources to strengthen Minnesota communities through community-engaged research, technical assistance, capacity building and facilitation.
Edward G. Goetz is a professor of urban and regional planning at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs and the director of the Center for Urban and Regional Affairs at the University of Minnesota. Goetz specializes in housing and local community development planning and policy, and his research focuses on issues of race and poverty and how they affect housing planning and implementation. He has served on a variety of local and national advisory committees related to affordable housing and community development.
C Terrence Anderson is the Director of Community Based Research at the University of Minnesota’s Center for Urban & Regional Affairs (CURA), overseeing CURA's community-based programs. Previously, C Terrence was the Equity Manager at the Metropolitan Council in the Twin Cities region of Minnesota, where he was responsible for implementing equity as part of the work that the Council does to address the high racial disparities in the region, and the Community Outreach Coordinator for Metro Transit (MN) and Transportation Planner for the Southeastern Regional Planning Commission in the Milwaukee metro region.
ABOUT THE RENT STABILIZATION ORDINANCE
On November 2, 2021, Saint Paul voters approved a Residential Rent Stabilization Ordinance for the City of Saint Paul.
The City is working toward an implementation date of May 1, 2022. Learn more about Rent Stabilization Ordinance at http://www.stpaul.gov/rent-ordinance. For questions or inquiries, community members can email rent-stabilization@ci.stpaul.mn.us, or call 651-266-8553.
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