Ramsey County closes Bethesda Shelter, approves $21.6 million for affordable housing

Frederick Melo, Pioneer Press
·6 min read

The Ramsey County board approved $21.6 million in funding on Tuesday to construct or renovate more than 18 affordable housing developments, even as officials signaled that funds for temporary emergency shelters organized during the early days of the pandemic are running low.

The county has already emptied a temporary shelter erected within the former Bethesda Hospital, outside downtown St. Paul, which will be turned back to property owner Fairview Health Services by the end of the month. Fairview officials have eyed the site for a potential mental health facility.

Bethesda Shelter residents have been moved to the Union Gospel Mission and other nonprofit partners, or have found new housing situations on their own.

“We’re getting other folks to step up with their resources,” said Ramsey County Commissioner Jim McDonough, during Tuesday’s board meeting.

COUNTY OFFICIALS STILL HOPEFUL FOR AID FROM LEGISLATURE

Hotel spaces for homeless families, leased by the county with federal relief dollars during the height of COVID, have also run their course. Freedom House, a satellite location for Listening House in St. Paul, shut its doors on May 8. The deadline for either shutting down or finding new funding to continue pandemic-era shelters at downtown Mary Hall and Stub Hall at Luther Seminary is June 22.

County officials are still hopeful that state lawmakers will dip into a projected state budget surplus to boost those and other shelter spaces, which they emphasized house homeless people from across the state.

An $8 billion bipartisan state budget deal unveiled this week focuses heavily on tax cuts, infrastructure and school funding, as well as public safety and human services, but nothing in the Senate proposal specifically devotes funds for Ramsey County’s emergency shelters. Lawmakers from both parties are still working out details in committee meetings, and there’s been some recognition in Republican and out-state corners that the county’s efforts to house the homeless have statewide benefit.

“We have seen an uptick in unsheltered in our community,” said Ryan O’Connor, county manager.

He later added: “This is an issue of statewide import. It is not unique to Ramsey County. … For our delegation to look beyond their jurisdictional boundaries has been important.”

$21.6M TO BOOST AFFORDABLE HOUSING

To boost 18 new and existing affordable housing developments, the county board on Tuesday approved $21.6 million in funding from the federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), general obligation bonds and the county’s new Housing and Redevelopment Authority levy. Overall, the county received funding applications for 36 eligible projects.

Some of the projects include:

  • Mary Hall: Catholic Charities’ six-story, single-room occupancy building in downtown St. Paul would be converted by nonprofit housing developer AEON into 88 units of affordable housing. That would include 46 new units aimed at very low-income residents, or those earning no more than 30 percent of area median income. The remaining units would be targeted to residents earning no more than 50 percent of area median income. A housing support provider would offer residents supportive services such as counseling. Construction is likely to begin next year.

  • Gladstone Village: JB Vang Partners have proposed a 65-unit building in Maplewood that would include 20 units of affordable housing for residents making no more than 30 percent of area median income. The remaining units would be priced for those earning no more than 50 to 60 percent area median income. Construction could begin in 2023 or 2024.

  • Kimball Court: An existing 76-unit supportive housing community owned by Beacon Interfaith Collaborative in St. Paul’s Hamline-Midway neighborhood would be renovated and expanded, adding 22 units affordable to residents earning no more than 30 percent area median income.

  • Stryker Senior Housing: Located on the West Side of St. Paul, a proposed 57-unit project from NEDA would include 43 units income-restricted to residents earning no more than 30 percent area median income.

  • Treehouse: Trellis has proposed 36 units of new affordable housing in St. Paul’s Highland Park neighborhood. The development would include 27 units income-restricted for those earning no more than 30 percent area median income.

  • Dunedin Homes: The St. Paul Public Housing Authority has proposed a four-unit expansion of Dunedin Homes, located on the city’s West Side. The units would be targeted to residents earning no more than 30 percent area median income. Construction would begin next year.

  • Gallery Building: Reuter Walton has proposed redeveloping a commercial office building in downtown St. Paul into affordable housing. In all, eight units would be targeted to tenants earning no more than 30 percent area median income, and the rest would be income-restricted to tenants earning no more than 50 percent area median income. Construction could begin in 2023 or 2024.

  • Ashland Apartments: RS Eden has proposed converting a vacant building in St. Paul’s Summit-University neighborhood into 17 units of efficiency apartments, targeted to tenants earning no more than 30 percent of area median income. RS Eden would provide supportive services.

  • McDonough Homes: The St. Paul Public Housing Authority plans to expand McDonough Homes in the city’s North End by seven units, targeted to tenants earning no more than 30 percent area median income. Ramsey County is the sole source of capital funding. Construction could begin next year.

  • St. Paul Residence: An existing 120-unit affordable housing development operated by Catholic Charities in the St. Anthony Park neighborhood would undergo extensive rehab, with work likely to begin this year or next. The building is owned by the city of St. Paul.

  • The Provinces: An existing 118-unit affordable housing building owned and operated by AEON in Little Canada would undergo extensive rehab, with work likely to begin this year or next.

  • Canalbrook Townhomes: The Rondo Community Land Trust plans six new owner-occupied townhomes in Shoreview. All units would be targeted to tenants earning no more than 80 percent of area median income.

  • Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity: The nonprofit homebuilder plans to acquire and renovate single-family homes in White Bear Township, White Bear Lake, Maplewood and St. Paul. The homes would be sold to low-to-moderate income homebuyers.

  • Twin Lake: Reuter Walton plans a new 60-unit affordable housing development in Little Canada. Six units would be targeted to tenants earning no more than 30 percent of area median income, and the rest would be affordable to residents earning no more than 60 percent area median income. Construction would begin this year.

  • 1375 Frost: Beacon Interfaith Collaborative has proposed 40 units of supportive housing at 1375 Frost Ave. Half the units would be targeted to residents earning no more than 30 percent area median income, and half to residents earning no more than 50 percent area median income. Construction is expected to begin in 2024.

  • Seal and Edgerton Hi-Rises: Structural improvements are planned within an existing 144-unit public housing tower in St. Paul’s St. Anthony Park neighborhood, and within an existing 221-unit public housing tower in the Payne-Phalen neighborhood.

  • The county will use federal Community Development Block Grant funds to preserve 75 units of affordable housing at AEON’s Cobblestone Court development in Maplewood and 139 units at AEON’s Golden Sun developments in Maplewood and Roseville.

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