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? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Council president. Recalling the City Council Budget Committee or roll cll, please. Chair Johnson here Sherry customer going here, Councilmember coming. Councilmember Kym. Councilmember just here and council president. you're 6 president and one exit, the in Councilmember Thank you was now entering the room. Wonderful. We have 2 presentations today. One from state, market for as well. So as are also important topic on downtown revitalization. I will kick it over to our chief budget Officer Confirman can introduce 50 mark for us is over. Thank you, Jay Johnson. The learn state demographic office to do a presentation on that. >> so the demographic trends

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and impact. Thank you. Welcome. Welcome us for kids. good to be here. It's avisit provided for you All. First began kind broadly with what's happening growth and impact on budget. And then I go into specifics for Saint Paul. is there one. ? ? destruction I have the And I think have, know, >> so I've been talking to a lot of people across the state. A lot of regional mayors, including your own about what's happening with growth across the state across the U.S. and its impact and budget. Since I'm going to start with that. But I do want to assure you that. >> The growth, the slowing of growth that we see in Minnesota is impacting many cities for us. Not all that many cities across the state. And so I just ddn't want you to understand that foundation. As you move into your color or your decisions that you're making just to understand tax. So. This is kind of the >> long trajectory. Basically since we've had censuses in Minnesota since Minnesota has been a state to show the trajectory of growth and for as long as get is long as the eye can see looking backward in our history, we've been

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growing. This is a statewide number, but you can see just around 2010 that's beginning to flat. It's beginning to level just not the level of growth that we've seen in the past. We we aren't expecting that are projecting that for the future. This isn't unique to Minnesota and many other states are going through this, especially states in the Midwest the Northeast. And I will show you why it is happening right now. One of the main things that is a driver of growth is what demographers call natural change. And this just kind of our own internal growth momentum. The number of firsts that we have each year minus the number of deaths. And that's what we're looking at here. This natural growth. You can see back to the 1960's close to 60,000 people were added to the state each year just because we had more births in the So this is setting aside migration for the moment. And if no one moved in or out, this is just how the state would grow. You can see even as recently as 2010, 30,000 people were added. Due to that at all, internal growth mechanism. We've kind of come to rely on it. We kind of expect that. That's how things will always be and that

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always going to be growing because, well, I more births and we have But in reality, the demographic changes that are happening right now in the states and in the country and even globally. >> Are pushing that growth mechanism downward. In the most recent period since 2020, we're just barely above 10,000 additional people statewide because births over deaths. That's happening as we age a a state because we have more people in those high mortality age groups. That's just natural outcome of a J. also has a birth >> And that's happening in Minnesota right now. Demographers call a birthright, a fertility rate. It really doesn't have to do with fertility in the medical sense is just the number of births. maybe I should change that. Just a in presenting. The main point is that our total fertility rate birth rate is below replacement level right now. 1.7 per woman of childbearing years. The average that's important because 2.1 is the point at which you are. We replace ourselves as a population. We continue to grow with our air and fertility rate is above that that we're below and it's been following. So people are having fewer children Minnesota actually a little bit higher than the

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national average here in. So it's that we're in such a bad place. Uniquely it's global phenomenon. It's a national phenomenon that birth rates are School districts are figuring out what to do with this change. But it's also something that's impacting growth, its revenues for public budgets. And it's something that we continue we expect will continue into the foreseeable future. There many policies that cn touch this in Nordic countries that have tried to increase the birth rate and to increased population growth. They've had some upticks in their birth rates. But then it's continued to fall. >> So please. Think of the falling birth rates as I do as couldn't part of where we are kind woven into our social, an economic and fabric. And I'll stop as far as I do. See, a quick question council toast. That's the question about your comments just now about declining birth rates of have you in other countries that have like? Better health insurance, but better child care costs and things like that and support for for families and birthing parents. Have you seen birthrates decline similarly in other countries that offer the votes? if it's we so think of the Nordic countries in particular. And with child

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care Norway, Seden and Denmark with Henry Lee. Even even countries like Estonia with really can a family friendly support is policy. Czars is still have very, very low birth rates and falling birth rates. >> When a new policy has been enacted in some of those countries, they see this temporary increase or so maybe there's a group of people who would be having children. >> And i not for that can emerge and will so the policy kind of brings them over that threshold. But by and large, we're seeing. A growing share of people choosing not to have children and all. those who are increasingly having smaller family sizes. It can help a little bit, but it's not going lkely turn around the birth rate and bring it up >> could, not likely to really make a >> big dense just given what we've seen in other countries. Thank you. >> can take have I have my opinions about like Avenue like it could but don't have follow-up questions from Mike. some of the. It looks like some of our so. Of childcare in Minnesota, in particular, certain perceived foes of next states around But, you know. >> And we say it's not that it can help people. I'm just saying you can't >> help impact the birthrate this is very, very different thing right? >> Sure.

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it's that it's not to >> completely up get actual base. I trust certainly there need need for childcare and affordable childcare is great. My plate is just that the impact on the birth >> rate is likely to be minimal to to do that. >> Thank you so much. yet. >> In good company, every state in the U.S. has below replacement fertility right now. So that is that's just where we're at. And that's a number that's been falling quickly. Demographers projections that we've kind of put out over the last 5 to 10 years are being downgraded in part >> because we're seeing these fertility rates fall so quickly. So the other way we can grow its not our own internal momentum is from migration. >> And so I want to give you a sense of what that looks like statewide. I do have numbers for Ramsey County coming up as well. But I just want you to know kind of what our long history in Minnesota has been in terms of new residents coming from other states are coming from other countries. >> So this is a measure of net net migration. That's the number of people who moved here in any given year minus the number of people who moved away. So it's a gain or loss of people do only to

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migration. And I'll start with the gray bars, which is domestic. That means anybody who moved from another state in the U.S. to Minnesota. We missed the number of people who moved out of Minnesota and you can see in the 1990's, that number was positive. It's been pretty much consistently negative for the last roughly 20 years. There been a few years where we've seen an uptick where we've seen more people come to Minnesota, leave. It's a relatively small number. You may recall that, you know, just above 1,000 when we can you don't after a colleague in that just above 10,000 was the number of people that the gains from natural change. under that amount. in any given year. And in terms of a net loss or net gain due to domestic migration. So it's not a big impact, but it's been a consistent impact statewide that we have more people leaving. Then we have coming. In contrast throughout this series. We have seen. >> International migration boost our growth numbers consistently. Those are the blue bars. Those are what we see throughout the series. And we really saw an increase between 2022 2024. As the nation's This is due to the increase in humanitarian adamant at the southern border. Minnesota felt that as

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well as migrants made their way up. >> To Minnesota, as I can see that huge number of 30,000 in 2024. >> And now the number has dropped down to about 10,000 in 2025. And I will say that the way that these numbers are produced, this is really the 1st half of the calendar year. 2025, if the 2nd half for included, that number would be even lower and least expect to get very close to 0 net migration. actually and also in Minnesota next year with numbers come a question from council, Rick Coleman expect and here a lot of speculation about why are >> domestic migration the increasingly negative. Often takes political agendas. there are any actual facts that we know about why my plan, we think that coming from within from within the U.S. yeah. Great question. I wish I had the answer to. There hasn't been any kind of imperial study that can point to anything and one reason for that is we're looking at these numbers. And so it looks like it should be really easy to explain. But in any given year, there's over 100,000 people moving in each direction into and out of Minnesota. And so when there a small change, either. inflow are the outflow. We se these

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these numbers can of. >> Change. And historically it's been net negative. We're in a region of the U.S.. With scoring big company. Should Wisconsin and Iowa all that the Midwest to neighbors and out toward the Northeast see the same patterns. And so I would be very cautious about. I'm looking to any specific Hear about tax policy. A lot. It just doesn't line up with the numbers. That's not to say people. There people who and it's not to say there's no movement because of taxes, but it just doesn't make sense. Given both type of people who their age and then also the larger geography that we see ourselves in that consistently lose people. the southern states, the southwestern U.S. tends to gain more people than his last. And it's just kind of a larger regional pattern. And so that's kind of a vague answer. I wish I had that the one specific clue. But it's really kind of part of a bigger. Migratory pattern that's been set for decades. So. Councilmember Kym. >> 2 student, attempt to figure out how we this question. Do we track where? Folks are coming from in only internationally? What about domestic? Do we track where folks are coming from? The reasons why they come Minnesota because, >> you know, one reason in my

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mind that I would make an assumption around for data is that, you know, we're transref huge stand. We've seen a huge influx of our services for folks to come receive gender affirming care right? So I'm just sort of curious like how or if we would even be able to track that information, recognizing sort of like political context why people might come here or what opportunities I have. He runs in state that and others is there a way or possibility or do you even track that information recognizing Chevron's really curious about it, but has different. >> So there's some clues tour that it's not directly tracked by the survey that the state does or that. The federal government does. There is a survey that asks people for their reason for a move. And you can look at people who cross state lines. But it's a national survey, says capturing. >> interstate move movers and their reasons. And at the top of the list tends to be family. >> a job and housing to that. That includes, you know, people who move from. >> Fargo to Morehead for youthful. So it's a fraught it surprise. can say it's a broad group but not very I will say that most of the people who are movie. >> State to state are in their

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late teens and early 20's. So a lot of it has to do with college migration choices. Hire a choice. Is. >> First internship first job. Anything you can think of why of the 18 20 year-olds would move. Those are some of the driving reasons for the patterns that we have. >> Council president maker, thanks, This question had actually occur to me until my colleagues. Great questions. But how do we know? When someone moves from here to another state. So. >> The Census Farrow takes ongoing survey called the American Community Survey. And in there, there's a question that says, where did where did you live a year ago? And where do you live now? And so that is one way that measure these moves. There's also administrative data that the Census Bureau uses to create. These estimates Social Security data, IRS data. They measure of the movement of people between states and so it's both administrative and survey data that going to an estimate like this. But it's not Christmas. It's it's an estimate. Generally what I would take away from this is we have this long history of tenant. >> But consistent outflows of people from the state. We've had this a long history of inflows of people from other countries that we

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see went went. Very high in that in between 2022. 24. And now that's slowed or kind where we But again, not super precise, but it's kind of the best we've got. We can look at this for Ramsey County. So this is the most recent year for him to county. And this is just looking at the things that we've been looking at. So you can kind of see more local picture. I would show you say Pollack, we haven't that we owe. It only goes down to the county level. Ramsey County is still growing because of natural change. 1500 people added. >> 2025 it had more domestic out-migration than it international in migration. >> Again, this may not be true for the city of Saint Pul but just know that. >> migration has been a contributor to growth for Ramsey Cunty, at least in 2025. So again, we're looking at actual change as the growth component. Lisa, what's happening with birth rates? We know that as we age that growth is damp and because of higher mortality rates. I just want to give you the sense of slow growth going forward. Coupled with a really kind greater importance put on migration, whether it's people from other states, are people from otr countries that's really going to be what drives

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growth if we have it in the futures that. That component of gross. In >> Ramsey community in 2024, there were gain of 4,700. People estimated due to international migration. >> In just 2300 in 2025. So that draft that we saw that I showed you for the U.S. in from Minnesota happened in Ramsey County to that. That number being cut in just like we saw nationally and for the state. So. Just know that the trends that we're seeing are impacting the locally. I see another Councilmember Cole, thank It may be hard to answer question international migration that are in unique moment in terms of >> putting our policies are. what we look historically when we've had moments where >> international migration has been more restricted and then you have a change put our administration's, you know, we have those barriers that bounce back quickly or would we expect that like? Decline will remain in place even if in 2029, we have a pro international migration, immigration present It's not an answer. should know. That's a great question. And it does bounce back quickly. And really there are. >> People waiting to come here. There's a pathway to do so. So the >> the kind of that

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particular. Pathway to growth is probably our most viable over changing the patterns domestically for migration or changing people's minds about how many children have. International migration is really the thing that we have the most kind of policy control over, I think in terms of of growth and you can you know, just looking back at our history imagine like teens federal administrations are. Presidential administration is looking back at the last 10 years and you can see that there was dampened growth in the late 2010's, which changed in the late in early 2020's. And now it's back down again. So the the desire to to the U.S. if there is a pathway to do so. Refugees us Economic migrants, they're all there. It's just a matter of federal policy like being with us. They need. >> As you well know. >> And and I remember last time was here, there was a comment and using the word foreign born for immigrants. But it's a very specific term. It's here on slides. But I just want you to know that if someone is board outside of the U.S. and they're not a citizen at birth. Florida voting is the term that the Census Bureau uses. And there's so many different ways to measure new populations and immigrant populations that this is just kind of a very

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specific way of saying that group of people who were born. >> Outside of the U.S., I want to show you, as you well know, immigration is an important part growth and a large number of for Saint Paul. >> We're looking here at the state. Ech DOT represents 200 people who are born outside of the U.S.. And so you can see the great concentration in the Twinities. If we rank e number of foren born or the number of immigrants by city say pause very close to Minneapolis at 55,000. So again, that immigration component of growth. And just in terms of your communities, it's a very important source of growth and of of your population. >> I touched on That drought between 2024 in 2025. The number was 2.7 million in the U.S. 1.3 million. 33 thousand. People games internationally down to 12,000. So we're already seeing that big decline. In this last year. Again, I expect to see that go to almost 0 when we get those numbers later this year for 2026. Just to remind you, the fall of the decline for Ramsey County was 4700 to 2306. It's occurring across the state. And impacting growth across many different counties. >> Population grows had really robust in Minneapolis and Saint Paul in the last decade. But it has already begun to slow this decade. That's true

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for Ramsey County. A little less so depending on where you are. Hannah King County, but we're certainly seeing it for the urban cities for the center cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul. >> You can see that there growth up Tao about 2020 or so. And then we've seen a bit of a decline. The 2 different estimates here estimates by the Census Bureau and the Metropolitan Council, both kind of show a similar picture of >> Slower growth. >> Or even in some cases in some years, decline in population registered or projected. If we look year-over-year. >> Saint Paul has had really a really, very decade. Many of the cities that are in our region. >> We'll see growth year-over-year. They'll see kind of you know, very little growth are very little decline year over year. But what's a policy is areas decades of large decline, decades of large growth. So kind of less stability overall. >> But I want to draw your attention to the fact that the 20 ten's what the decade were just coming was a decade of historic growth for Saint Paul. In so kind of to put that larger context about what this city has experienced in terms of growth. It's pretty unusual. And what we're seeing

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now is on par with what we've seen in other decades in terms between 2020 in 2025. and the next council says that's a average added about 300 residents. The Census Bureau says it lost about 90 residents each year. Either way. It's not the growth that you have last decade. As you well know, there consequences and to the budget, 2 revenues. And so that just just where we are today in terms of growth. >> I think that for a lot of cities, this slowdown in growth is going to be could be difficult to adjust to when you've got slower growth. Well, first of it's time for people to get their heads around that it might be coming, especially coming off of a decade. Really hiker. So I think kind of. >> To the extent that you can adjust your thinking in that residents can adjust their thinking to this era of slower growth and really understand that it has its roots. >> In part in kind of social and economic changes like in the birth rte and higher mortality. But this is really just the demographic reality that many cities are facing right now. When you've got slower growth. It can make it really to do. Budget cuts. >> You can grow your way out of some of the things that need to be taking care of. >> You can expect that the next year you'll get what you

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need kind of fun. But you couldn't fund this year. And so it's big champion. it's it's a big challenge. The other thing that happens when they're slower growth is per person cost tend to increase. >> This happens in school districts, but it happens with health care with transportation with utilities that if you don't have kind of ever growing base. >> Individuals tend their higher costs. Each of the services, if you look at these kind of studies across the board about what growth does too. Cost per person cost these areas. And so I guess I just want to. >> encourage encourage the city of Saint Paul. And that this slower growth is. >> Part of the kind of broader natural phenomena and that's going on across the state in >> the U.S.. It certainly provides a >> challenge in terms in terms of budgeting. I do have many more specific numbers in your packets that I thought you would be interested in. >> But I don't need to talk through them piece by piece and that's you have questions about them. I really just wanted to a snapshot of state falls population, according to the most recent data. >> If you'd like me to talk

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through them, happy to do that. But they were us. >> thank Thank you so much despair. I really appreciate just kind of getting that deep dive into it. I think back to last year's presentation and just kind of the numbers and how you know not where post 2025 until seeing some of the numbers come through for last year. Also help saw hand from council president. Before we go there just wanted to get a clarification due to these numbers tend to individuals regardless of status. >> The answers come the end The surveys are meant to. >> count all people of their mailed out to all households own and then simple candidate, not a simple system sample, but and and a random basis. And so it's to capture. It's designed to capture everyone regardless of status. Do you think? I think it's up all of Do you feel we see anything that indicates maybe that? All of us with Operation Metro Surge has somehow like impact in Twenty-twenty 6 numbers in any way or not, necessarily too early to tell. it's a great question. Will I will say? >> Even though the surveys are meant to capture everyone. We know that the response rates are much lower for people who have reason to fear. The government, the federal government, including immigrants, especially

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undocumented immigrants. And so we expect that in some cases up 30% lower is is the number that we think is captured by the service. So >> my full answer is it's meant >> to capture everyone, but it really doesn't. I do think it will become harder and harder. 2, given the current political context in activities around immigration will be harder and harder to. Get those 2 numbers because people need to give those willingly. And you know, people are afraid, we'll we'll just see kind of degradation of data quality. Yeah. We're going to do our best with the 2030 census are starting to work on that. But it's going it's going to be tough. >> council president thanks chair. I really appreciate the additional slides as And I don't think you need to talk to them. And I'm just curious. I wanted to. the silencing poverty rate by age. it's striking to me that 20% of our children in poverty and 15% of our seniors I see the day to hear about how those compare very unfavorably to regional average. The U.S. average Minnesota average. Have those numbers changed much over time? I can remember from previous presentations. >> So they've moved basically with the economy and has kind

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of from from the Great Recession. Up until 2020 was a period of expansion and we've seen kind of poverty rates tick downward across many different racial and ethnic groups across age groups. We've seen kind of generally lower poverty rates. I will say to that there's another poverty rate that I'm not showing here called the supplemental poverty rate that takes into account states Pacific like child tax credits and things >> like that. >> And that is really. Provides a more optimistic picture of >> poverty in Minnesota, given that we have state specific kind of programs to help children. Around the great siren. The pandemic poverty increased as people were unemployed. And we started to see that come back down again. So there's been kind of movement that broadly moves with. Economic change us. But the 20%. Up and down over time. But not. Dramatically higher or lower now on average in the past. You know, I don't think we have a measure at the city level of the supplemental poverty measure, but it's it's much, much lower than it is. >> For this official poverty rate. So I guess that's optimistic. On the other hand, a poverty level is really, really low. And, you know,

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it's twice the poverty level that typically. Qualifies for free and reduced price lunch, for example, are almost twice the poverty level. So we're talking about people with really very, very low incomes. If there. If they're the beach. If you're a data person and wounded again, the links below we'll let you Leigh dig into those numbers. I've also provided a handout from the last census that shows. >> Really detailed race and ethnicity for the city of Saint Paul that the we don't have an update on. That's why I have the 2020 numbers. But it shows you kind of the best snapshot that we have 4 very detailed groups for >> example, of the Somali population and current population, which is in part >> Burmese and the Census Bureau data. But you can start to get much more detail there. >> Thank you so much. You know, just for being here as well. So it's providing some of these. We do have those in front of us as well. You know, I think that. It's always important and especially for kind of gearing up our next conversation to around on time. But Al ATF talked a lot about just who are building, you know, downtown for rebuilding our city for, you know, just kind of going through Plugging some quick numbers, right? When you have over half of the population

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under the age of 40 here in Saint Paul, when you have, you know, just almost half the population being people of color and the city that there's just so many things that when we think about what what does this look like in our next almost like our next centennial version of what our city in parks on what it entails. What you know, what our but pressures will be. But our budget released will be. I think all of this is really relevant to a conversation. That's the reason why. You know, we really appreciate having you here every year to to be able to give us an update on just some of the things that we're seeing statewide as well. So as in the region. So I really appreciate your time today and just for being here. I will just do a quick lot check around. I don't think we have any other questions for you, but thank you so much, Thanks for having me. We can get a little bit of a head start on downtown vitality. Conversation downtown revitalization conversation with assistant mayor so mowing are welcome. Thank you Well, we're gearing up that I just want to take some to take a minute to acknowledge that we also have Joe Spencer and Dave Higgins and Josh Bolten, president and the audience for this conversation as well. So >> do appreciate you guys for

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making the time to come on over. It's super important to see folks continued consent show up on something that we all care about. So thank you. >> Yeah, thank you. Chair Johnson and Councilmembers. These are adoring fans here in audience. So I did want to know. Yeah, they're here. So thank you for acknowledging that. And as I talk about presentation for the record Langer system, mayor for housing, economic, vibrancy and infrastructure, just wanted to note that the power of the downtown revitalization that's happening is the power partnerships. The city can't shouldn't and doesn't do this alone. And so wanted to emphasize that that is a huge priority. Wanted to and it decides projecting. great. One of the start off with this poll and I kind of go through a little bit of the agenda So obviously a much different time a much different iterations off your people included. But the last 3 wrds of the quarter, something that I just rally like. It kind of speaks to the work that we're doing here at Saint Paul's not done yet. That's why you're all here. That's why we're here. There's a lot that we can work through together on brick and stone. We've got some really beautiful buildings here in downtown. And I also love the Arab intending to stay were here

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for the long haul. So generally what I go through this presentation kind of walk through why we focus on downtown as revitalization as investing in that area. The focus on partnerships, some of our city's investments and the external investments. And then a credit. All the folks that ice totally stole some of these images from as we go through. And then just a small round up of the new business openings that just happened in the last little bit here and just an example calendar of events that are happening in downtown and that some time for questions the end. Credit to urban 3, believe the council sitting as the policy committee had this presentation in just a few of their slides from Heather Worthington's presentation or are you still here? Why do we want to spend time investing in downtown Saint Paul? A lot of us think that that's table stakes. That's why we're here want to increase the tax base to reduce the burden of property taxes on residents. But the numbers are really stark. If you look at the Roseville, Walmart, that i a total tax value. About 14 million and a lot of land has burned 3.70, here, a temporary home. There are. There's a huge amount of property taxes kicked off per acre there. And so the concentration of the property

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tax benefit is just not even comparable. Another one of her slides that I shamelessly stall. So thank you, Josh, for for paying for the slide that I get to here. Just the productivity of downtown Saint Paul compared to the amount of area that it takes I think the questions you asked her in the conversation, they're really great such as useful to kind reiterate as we as we go through. These One thing, you know, obviously those the positive side. One thing is talking the impact of the declining values and downtown ends up having so. These came from the Ramsey County tax records. And if you look at a few of the different buildings here. About kind of the the decline in value and impact that that ended having property taxes. You can see 2006 and there's a variety different years that's have the beginning points here. The values have really gone The shift that ends up happening when these values have gone down. When we get fewer property txes from these buildings downtown means that we are shifting that burden to our residential folks. Folks across the city. And if you look at Ramsey County, that's also has a huge impact on them as well. So this is mayday call. This the logo slide. There could be honestly many, many more logos on here. But it is A useful. group of of

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entities to just note that this work does not happen alone. It's a tease of government. It's folks that are associations and businesses, large institutional businesses, the downtown alliance and the improvement District and the Downtown Development Corporation visit Saint Paul. And like I said many, many more folks could be part of this. And one of the priorities that our administration is as kind of leaning into as much as we can. emphasizing that just because idea doesn't come from us does not mean it's a bad idea. We want to lean in create the environment that a lot of policy investments, those types of things can kind of hit well and they can get executed well. So it's our job free circumstances that these things can can land. Well. Of the 3, some of the investments that the city itself has made in downtown Saint Paul, because I know the budget committee will be kind of having conversations over the next few months here around the budget. So it's useful know what we've done so far. >> And HR a commercial corridor program, all of downtown Saint Paul use lies by the D ID is considered a commercial corridor. The downtown vitality fun. Obviously 5 million total in

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2026. this 40 interest form for projects. I think that's even just a little outdated from what I made. The slides neighborhood and cultural star as these are the hottest numbers right off the press here from last week's action around the grants for neighborhood star and the projects funded in the cultural District of Downtown Saint Paul. Downtown parks. Investments are a fairly significant as well. Obviously, Pedro opened in 2025 Wabasha Park so to completed here in the fall and then a number of park activations in 2025. 2026 lunch in the parks. A fitness classes the at the hour over at the dog Park Alamo Park makes downtown and the different areas of downtown more vibrant and having a lot more folks walking around. A lot of these ones here that all know this is a map produced by public works notes, a number of the construction projects. To be clear, not all of these are construction projects. The transit improvements are from the Met Council. And then we have a number of different entities that own and operate an instructor streets. In the in the city and downtown, sould say so. We kind of are hopefully good coordination with our partners with Ramsey County, in that and other folks.

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Here. But you can see that there are significant number of investments happening. Across a number of these of these different crucial corridors and downtown. Also notice here. So the downtown 2050 plan, which I think a few of you have set and with the consultant that PD is working with on the 2050 plan will help us with development and planning considerations. How can we ensure that downtown is a little bit easier to have some creative uses and looking at land uses really that kind of that foundation of how we execute on this. You all approved and we signed the Plaza housing conversion to finance that's going to result in about 166 additional market rate units and lower twn. And know it's kind of a partnership with the downtown improvement district. They've utilized some of their funds from their dues their assessment of the property owners for community prosecutor hired by the city attorney's office and they'll start service in the fall and they will focus on a lot of the quality of life crimes that I think folks here about pretty significantly and downtown from businesses and residents and other folks and will be a good addition to the docket there. Note some of the policy investment. So these are not monetary investment, but some of the policy ones, a

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signage district zoning study and obviously council president has done a great job of saying just because it's a zoning study does not man it's not exciting. We're all very excited. And I think it will have a particularly large impact on downtown and how some of our exciting innovative businesses can advertise to folks who are visiting and living here. There is a request for proposals on consolidating the a jury on parking within lots to be under a single operator or just a couple operators right now. These operators are pretty pretty vast, diffuse and we don't get I think the outcome the integration of technology, the kind of innovative thinking on how we ensure that parking is able to be utilized for businesses. And for folks coming downtown. And so that process is rolling and then public works has a downtown streets and sidewalks plan that has contributed to a lot of the investment that have already been happening and are kind of in constant. Re looking at that to make sure that it works well for forever and experience in downtown. because there's been a lot of conversation over the last few years over public safety in downtown. And a lot of this information from Sdpd and kind of the the general coordination across a number of different agencies related

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to security, I showing real results. There are still only pain points that a lot of folks are dealing with. I will say that there's both the reality of crime and those you can get the numbers on those who wear the citations tickets. The different calls happening. And then there is a perception of crime as well. >> Those are 2 related, but also separate elements. So private building security, the DEA ID safety ambassadors PPD Metro Transit officers and Ramsey County sheriff's deputies all share some of the pieces of the puzzle downtown Saint Paul. >> And those feelings of safety. I'll say that the coordination between the agencies, I think he's ever improving and there's been a lot of actual really great dialogue around the BRT stops and the downtown safety ambassadors. And I know that commander Kammerer former commander now District Jake Peterson. Everyone is very keenly aware of what the needs are and we kind of shifted to where some of the problem areas are. You all know this state Paul Police Department has a designated downtown and there's a downed designated downtown parking enforcement officer focused on enforcing the meters and issuing violations. Actually just heard this morning at another meeting that they have issued

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more parking citations in downtown Saint Paul this year than they did all of last year. And I think that number is from early June. So in in general, that's a great thing. I will say cause to positive change for folks to visit. Businesses is great. Obviously it comes with a little bit short-term pain for folks to change how they approach parking in downtown. >> But we do want to make sure that we're getting folks utilizing the ramps and getting the revenue from the parking citations and the H.O.A. on-ramp so that we have more people feel like it's easier to come in and do whatever they're doing in downtown. >> Last thing, a couple things to the real time information Center are tick has open this spring, which monitors downtown and hot spots and was actually utilized to disrupt copper wire theft in progress, which is very challenging to actually have that happen in progress. But really does help attempts to to get ahead of an issue I think you have conversation on. Copper wire, theft and street lights coming up in couple weeks here. But they're you'll you'll hear there about the budgetary impact of that. But it is a challenging situation. >> Last thing on, though, the downtown beat officers, as

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you've probably seen, they utilize a lot of different modes of transportation. So squads and bikes, the Segways, the trikes with the head to look out there. you literally they're trying people standing on the other 3 wheels, very helpful for all the various downtown spaces. Sometimes it's easier to get ally if you're on a Segway, obviously navigating sky ways are a crucial safety element here. But just all kind of contribute to the max. And I did include commander cameras, phone email. He readily gives it out. So I was OK to put on these slides. But he is a he's a great partner and I think learning all the different angles and small pieces of downtown that. Are that make it what it is? >> Also note to this is a a one pager about retail theft and shoplifting. If folks have heard and talk to and this is not just unique to downtown, there and number of different doing retail theft. It is retail Groups of folks who are targeting Walgreens in particular, a number of different like chain stores they will assume can bear the brunt your guys walking off the shelves. The downtown be has focused on retail theft and shoplifting. And that initiative was developed with training sessions for the downtown, be folks and focused on a number of kind of edge

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situations of trespassing. Police response, non-emergency versus emergency education for the business owners as well as physical hardening of their different entries and locations. And that is done in conjunction with the downtown improvement District. Note, a few of the housing projects downtown. One thing to just note about housing in downtown is that we have a very large concentration of affordable housing in downtown. And that's great. And folks can and should have a neighborhood that they can around and have access to a grocery store. Hopefully all the coming in later this year and having a pharmacy and a number of different elements to we kind of need to do both need to have market rate and affordable housing and supportive housing. And so noting that landmark towers opened last year 187 mixed ownership in rental. Mary Hall has just opened last month in June for double housing units. The Residences right next 3.70, is now leasing and has 178 units and the call to your closet with the TIF dollars has 166 units coming on board and one thing to note is that the more folks that you have downtown in all times of day weekends, evenings, those types of things as the baseline, the floor. >> You're raising both the safety profile. You raising

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something that's exciting to me that the hands building and hopefully the redevelopment of the government center east is that we don't know the things that the residents there. We'll see as missing. And I have a lot of faith interests and our residents to be creative about where they see gaps in their neighborhood. And so we don't adding more residents downtown will help lead to more vitality new businesses. Opening small businesses, even out of their apartments or other units. the general goal is to move from 10,000 residents roughly living in downtown to 30,000 and the way that actually happens is not setting a number goal. And, you know, issuing all. All challenges to that. But just doing a project at a time working consistently with all of our partners to make sure that that ends up happening. >> know there's a number of other public development and construction Saint Joseph campus, a large portion of it is slated for demolition and establishing some green fields for investment administered by the Saint Paul Port Authority approved earlier this year. Obviously we're up at the legislature asking $4 for the Grand Casino River Center. Roy Wilkins complex received 50 million from the Legislature and we will be back up asking for more of

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that investment as well as an extension to our half-cent sales tax so that we could bond out those dollars to fund our portion of the project. Also at the legislature this year, the city received 13 million for secure redevelopment on West 7th. I won't get into a long history. It is wet said and done. That entrance part of downtown for this is a kid I will say. It absolutely is because of >> the kind of connection to the entertainment district and investing in the sewers. The absolute, you know, bottom level of that street will really help us with work we're doing with men that met transit, Ramsey County for all stretches of West 7th. >> One of the note as well, tentative developer status is held by Flaherty and Collins, Central Station and then our county partners have committed lot of dollars in the downtowns. Work here. I've called it elsewhere. Kind of slap in money on the table moment for the park at Rivers, edge, housing, conversions, public realm improvements and some for their economic development. Investments. The downtown Development Corporation, so kind of a and a related entity of the Downtown Alliance holds a number of buildings downtown, the Alliance Bank Center, the IndyCar Cayden part, building

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U.S. Bank Center and the Capital City Plaza parking ramp. And those are all undergoing and a lot other folks answer questions. If there are. Those on but they're undergoing evaluation of how best to approach these crucial buildings that are kind of city we'll see a map of the different investments and where they're slated across the downtown and then I'll note that there is number significant private investments happening. The Downtown Revitalization Trust, which is the purchaser first national building and the great Northern Building by Jamie So by those 2 buildings earlier this year, security 11 travelers have all invested significant dollars and their campus improvements alongside Wells Fargo Place the same hotel has recently changed with the promise of renovations happening there with a group led by Craig Leopold, the owner of the Wild and then the Downtown Investment Fund for the Downtown Development Corporation as well. So this is I would say this is probably just bouncers favorite series of maps. I don't know what else is on that list. A series of maps, but this I think will hopefully be demonstrative ofhow. >> Widespread the investments

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across all the different partners so you can see in yellow here. There are a number and want to make sure you all this. >> let me flip to my notes. So you can see the downtown Development Corporation, focus buildings. A lot of them are in that core here. Between the entertainment district with the Grand Casino Arena and lower town. And obviously the focus is connecting the multiple different elements of downtown. You can see here these projected vision of what the Grand Casino Arena River Center and right welcomes complexes could look like on note that visioning has connect the convention Center hotel as well, some parking or other structure on the travelers parking. Parking lot. The next is the county's properties. I think just do a little nudge. I actually think we're missing one bilding and this from the county's for Union Depot. But these are useful to know to what one might be occurring there on the. River's edge as well. And then this is the Saint Joe's site with some of them slated. Some of the buildings are slated for demolition in Green fielding with the remediation. The private investment happening such as the style of hams building Avalon, a number of different investments I got here Plaza is on this as well. And then last is that campus

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improvements. But you lead to curing and travelers and what is kind of the interesting if you kind of layer all these together, you can see how the different groups touch and basically every part downtown and there are just a number of different investments and kind of projects happening right now, which is that environment that we're hoping to cultivate that we can all work together to make sure that these act as well as possible. thought it would. It's important to note here that it's not just the large investments were not just wanted to celebrate the investments of an eagle at our security and we also want to create an environment, raise the floor for small businesses to feel that they are able to open that they can have a level of vitality and vibrancy in downtown so that folks who are newly living down here who are newly working down here as folks bring more people back to the office so they can all really enjoy what downtown can be, which is both this kind but economic activity as well as a neighborhood Jenny's I of surveyed all the coffee shops in downtown doing this job the last 6 months. Jenny's Cafe is a great one in landmark center. Lenoir Bridal has relocated right off of 7 The all the which will be opening later this year filling a crucial in downtown for a grocery store. knows pizzeria

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the relocation there. So simple. And our farmers market, 6 Mears, River Valley Coffee have cat. You can see biased towards coffee shop just of what I frequent myself. vintage and thrift shop. And then by Mister Martinez is just men wear men's wear store just off of West 7th. And this is a this is not a comprehensive list of the new openings here, which I think is is really significant. And folks can definitely kind of see that there is. There's a lot of opportunity here for FOX. Something I wanted to do here just to kind of maybe put it in a little bit of perspective. And I think the downtown Alliance for they're their website that they have number of events on here. I just know this is this is these 2 weeks and this is a snapshot of what's happening in downtown. That can basically be replicated. Every 2 weeks, maybe maybe not on coldest February. >> February, middle of February time. But I'll just say that a number of these different activations that are happening are because of made by the city and also partners as well to see. You can see the Minnesota Yacht Club Festival is happening this weekend. There's a number of activations on the different parks by the park's and rec

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department. >> Community craft nights at Metronome brewing and lower town. The tattoo fest at the River just wanted to provide at least a little bit of the scope here and noting that there is some resident events here, the Five-dollar Skyway, Progressive dinner and lower town a number of those, the weekly Skywalk as well. just same kind of in the spirit of these partnerships. >> all know, too, that the there is an importance of residents and cltural institutions in downtown. So we have a cap of a counselor District council that includes downtown Saint Paul, the new newish Farm Fitzgerald Neighborhood Alliance, which is the northern part of downtown that kinda. But 94 and just a number of different interesting groups and exciting opportunities so that friends of the Skyway groups with their activations that they have the friends of downtown parks Amir's Pedro and Rice, the Parks Conservancy. And as I mentioned before, that entrepreneurship, a number small business owners that we've met with and talked with that of shared some of the concerns that have also concerns. Residents live in downtown. They live near where they operate their business. And then I'll just note that we have a number of cultural

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institutions in downtown Saint Paul that draw people in and the goal should be just to draw people in and they leave from a festival or event. >> But to kind of find ways that we can make downtown sticky so that they having a show at Amsterdam. could maybe lead to them looking at the Stella Cross the street. If they're if they want to go answer shows pretty frequently are being at the history Center ad having going to a show there and maybe have them look at different parts of downtown in a different way. >> So I think there was a kind of a last question the plant here of kind of what is the strategy that we're working You on this? And while Id love to say it's a specific number of businesses, we want to open our specific number of units we operating and in effect by the the first term of mayor, her is over. I think it's a little bit. >> It's >> a little bit more nebulous. And then I think we want to make sure that we are coordinating partners playing that leadership role, providing a direction for a number of the different partners that we've noted here. And the second one is answering every request or outreach. We get a number if I'm sre as you do hear calling office tenants who are looking for a space looking to leave the responding to programmatic questions

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inquiries about what dollars the city has available for folks and then working and coordinating and city departments. So this is combination of a number of the departments oversee PD dsi public works and then court any response from the police department, the fire department, those types of things and then also doing what I would deem as more of the fun things that actually cutting a ribbon at a new a new business. What was the actual thing we ended up doing for All the it wasn't a ribbon cutting. It was enough. something exciting about noting that we had the old and I know that adjustments are led a really good chance, which I think is really fun. then the last thing is just encouraging that downtown geographically bonded space. It does provide a number of really If good investment opportunities, good property tax kickoff. But just knowing that we should be nimble and have downtown operate a little bit as a pilot zone for other things that could work across the city. Being nimble in starting with yes is kind of something that we are trying to institute across the city even when things haven't been tried before. And then. >> Just some the next steps that we have here in this is

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not a comprehensive 22 continued advocacy. I think the legislature relating to the entertainment district. I think it's, you know, REI and River Center working on facilitating the reopening of the Skyway Closer Alliance Central Station and Athletic Club, working to ensure better regulatory coordination between PBS and public works and working across these investments in public safety response. This list could be very, very vast. Takes up a decent amount of my time, but also touches on a lot of the work that you all do. So happy to be in partnership. And happy to take questions on note contributing to vibrancy here. This is the Skyway, 5 K that and that having the first instance, I think couple of council members here ran it. That is my older son, Gus, who needed to high-five. Everyone coming through in the Union at the tail end of So he that indicate a few times probably buy the council president's aide Megan Jacket at 1.2. But I will just say this is this was kind of one of kind excellent examples. It it was bitterly cold morning in February had been 900 people going through this anecdotally folks have sid they discovered new exciting restaurants, few places to go. They've never been Skyway before. And that is just the possibility that we have here.

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So >> take these. The gentleman in suit is ran the 5 K yeah, chair doesn't that led a 5 k al Qaeda waited. >> This is like he just happened to be there. well, I appreciate, you know, just kind of continuing to have this as a Samir, a couple questions that kind of came to me also as someone who really kind of looks through these but aren't actively, you know, and every single conversation regarding the downtown revitalization, could you just share are there current like? >> To this piece around like public safety investments? Are there things that we're considering what they all these opening proactively just on the side of, yu know, near and around the area and also just being able to address the currently the area proactively. >> Yet your job since the great questions. So I would say the short answer yes. And part of the what I mentioned before on the Retail theft Initiative is that proactive communication with business owners actually think that we have an opportunity as they are reopening a space to kind of from day one have a better security situation here. It helps that Piedra Park is open. I would say that some people could do that has not helped. But I actually think

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that because P Joe is so well utilized by the residents that are around there. you are getting more eyes on that area and thankfully a lot of the construction on the road as is done as well. And so you're going to get more eyes on that area in general. I won't say that it won't bumps the road that I know commander camera and folks have been in conversation ready and how they have that be a special That special enforcement area that monitoring of potential problems that could happen there. I also think that my understanding is that the folks that working on investing in all they have already been and good conversation. There's that engagement. Super important. >> Thank you. And I believe a stock council, vice-president innings hand for sending up council. President maker. Thank you, chair John said I really appreciate the presentation today. I'm taking Lee a lot. I have a couple of questions wondering in terms of the progress and development were seen. What's its 2026 now. And so I'm just curious if you have any thoughts on. What, what are we aiming for in terms of when the winner residents, when we want our residents to be able to feel like a positive impact when it comes to property taxes where we do have we've

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made a big dent and being able expand our tax base and they're basically feeling that the the property taxes by seen by feeling just like those that burden be alleviated in some way. >> Yeah. Council vice President members. 2 really good question. And I would say part of it is number of transactions happening are a good There was a time where nothing was moving, building transaction lies. More things had bottomed out where an entity which are grateful for the downtown Development Corporation was kind of grabbing buildings that really at risk. I would say that any amount of positive movement helps with kind of the overall values. I'm not positive. We are done on every building, reducing in value right now. But knd of back to what I had noted here. Housing projects being one step at a time. I think we kind of just have to be aiming for singles and doubles and putting runs on the board because that incremental improvement, I think will really help. And so having some kind of time comparison of where values across a number of these properties maybe bottomed out where they increasing in value where folks investing. All of that will matter. I'd say. Part of it is numerically. Is it going to help from the property tax burden? Part of it is. >> Do folks feel like their investments are safe when they

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come in downtown? Not just on physical safety but a financial safety and we can do part of that by. Talking about all the momentum comprehensively, be seeing a lot of the work that the downtown alliance and other folks are doing and being in coordination together. But I wish I could tell year that it was going to feel better, especially as we're going through budget conversations and will it would be nice if said OK by 2020, something it could work well, but I think we just have to have nose to the grindstone and work hard to make sure that we have everything moving forward together. Thank you. >> I just wanted to share to that what I observed about downtown is that we haven't seen more folks. You know, more for check traffic folks just being out in the streets going to the different commercial stores. And so that's really exciting and makes me very hopeful about the progress that we are making in downtown overall. I am still seeing many vacant and storefront since I was wondering if you could talk a bit all the current portfolio of our commercial businesses and downtown overall, what's the strength and that? are we seen that there are more compared to those that have been that have had to close down or just maybe like made a

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decision to close down for for other reasons. so if you share your insights about that, you really helpful. Yeah, thank you. Council vice president and council members so I think a big component of the vacant storefronts is processing through. What did the commercial rents and that being from individual commercial property owners, some of them are overall buildings that have kind of fallen and the level of disrepair that you don't want to. They want to have a restaurant in a building where you're worried about you were sleeping on two-year. just speaking super frankly, part of it is also I don't know if we have a specific number on commercial vacancies, but part of it is that we have made our individual vacancies for retail and business is very visible. >> When you have an empty storefront, that is an empty storefront has a big for lease sign in front it. We it's it's very noticeable for folks. And people would say, OK, why there's so many spaces that are available. There's opportunity there because likely the rents are a little bit lower. But I would say that. We are instituting and thanks to PD and Daniel as team a kind welcome package for new businesses across the city. Not just in downtown. We have a as small as it seems. A

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handwritten note from the mayor welcoming them into downtown. And we're so if you hear of businesses that are opening across the city, you should send them to Dee's team. We can get them added to the list there. I think anecdotally it helps us to have those initial touch points so that we can actually see if they're going to have problems or if they running into issues. Regulatory wise or even with their landlord. I think that there there are opportunities for us to lean with them. If we know that they're having trouble. But I don't have a specific number on the amount of vacancies we have in there. A lot of them are just very visible. For instance, I'm an wabasha and then tell is is very visibly not there. And so I'd love to explore a little bit of what we can do in the meantime, for vacant stare, friends of making things feel a little bit more full and vibrant to kind of match what I think the momentum you noted, it's happening. Thank you. Council president. thanks. Chair this is the mayor. Thanks so mch for the presentation. Thank you for your partnership. >> Every element of the mayor's office strategy that you have on the slide is not just words on paper. Absolutely been true in demonstrated by you and the mayor's office in general. So

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especially the being them on starting with. Yes. So I feel like the positive momentum that we are seeing in downtown Saint Paul is very much due to your leadership. And I appreciate it very much. I also want to thank my colleagues chair for bringing this item forward on its agenda. And Justin General for everyone support. I say it all the time, but it is a struggle in this council are on the tray convince anyone that downtown is critical to not just college, but the region success. And it's wonderful to feel like everyone's got downtown's back. So my 2 questions are one. And that's just come up at an event I was at yesterday and I realize and actually know the answers I had. I would use this public opportunity to ask you, someone asked me whether or not we were still sort of to the vice president's question about small-scale retail, which I feel like I have a better handle on. Someone asked me, are we still trying to attract large employers to downtown? And I realized I'm not sure if and we're in the middle of an economic development. Strategy things are probably on pause, but is attracting big employers still a thing. And if so is the thing that we're doing. And my second question I know off and all of our offices here about quality of life crimes

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downtown. We've made amazing progress in violent crime. And I think we need to talk more about that. And we're doing a good job of it. But quality of life smoking outside within 25 feet of doors and windows. But we as a council retired to pass ordinance against gambling public urination, things like that. wondering if those are currently be enforced by police or if that's also one of those. Once the community prosecutors on board. That's the kind of thing that that person's office will deal with in a more holistic way into were. May be waiting a little bit on enforcement until that person is on board or a little bit of mix of the 2. Thank you council president council members. I think the first question for so. >> I think the answer that, yes, we are definitely attracting are trying to attract large institutional employers. That hs changed. I think a lot over over time, folks with work from home, their sace teens are just last. But we've convened and worked with Bowman a number of other commercial real estate folks to understand the things that they are running into when they're trying to attract folks to downtown Saint Paul. And being responsive to those questions that won't surprise folks here to note that parking is a huge one and the

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rate of parking. That's why I'm really excited about that RFP because if we can offer, if we know, for instance, with right now, we just don't if we know a number that parking ramps are at 60% capacity, that's a that's a Delta, 40%. That could be incentivized to use. Not saying that's exactly what we do. But right now we are flying a little blind on the strategy of that around some of these buildings. 2 are absolutely in the market for attracting big institutional players. But to the point and to torture a baseball metaphor, I guess, for the Saints. >> We when you see a pitch come down that you think you can hit a home run just because you're going for singles and doubles, you should still swing at that pitch. You should still try to knock it out of the park. And so just because we're focused on the smaller winds and tangible winds. >> We're not going to say no to something. And I tink actually it raises the floor of a lot of the work that we're doing to just know that there is kind of this like positive trend that's happening. We just pretend like we're in the home run derby. Sure watch that. And that's spoken. As president spoken someone who goes to a lot of baseball tournaments on

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the weekends, I think That's And the second question. >> It didn't. I didn't want to get ahead of PD or C a city attorney's office on exactly what the enforcement kind of mechanisms are for those things. I know the community prosecutor will help. There will be more time, more holistic evaluation of ordinances that as they're written probably in our books right now, an enforceable through constitutional concerns and equity and implementation concerns. But I do know that working through the idividual situations. You've talked about public your nation, gambling. What are the ways in which we've been enforcing them currently and what are the avenues and example of this, which I think folks in this chamber likely heard about is folks who are gambling on the sidewalk and the enforcement mechanism, even though we have gambling statutes of the gambling statutes and codes here in Saint Paul and the state are for obstruction of a sidewalk. So if someone's not obstructing sidewalk, they maybe you're okay with the better part of the street. Unclear. And so I think we want to make sure that we have all that buttoned up and also that we kind of apply a little bit of of logic and common sense for what that signals for folks as they're coming

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into downtown to and kind of what we are hoping to to cultivate. Sorry for the torture baseball metaphor. I think I just sat all the questions that are Do I someone who doesn't watch this one much at all of us that. >> Yeah, But some air, I think. But Bill, what would be really helpful for me to this like I often when I go through the downtown revitalization conversations are I really appreciate the maps and graphics judicial overreach. What would you share is kind of the overarching like what do we want people to experience downtown? Like? What are the calls that we're striving for? And just like what is if I were to ask the mayor's office just like kind of pick the city's vision for downtown. What's it? Yeah, chair Johnson Councilmember. So I think. >> My answer that question is that. Downtown is a vibrant place. 365 not just around events that are happening. >> But that workable and walk the ball and both middle the middle of summer, everything in between. And that folks feel safe and able to think creatively about this place. So we went through the downtown, we imagine with the downtown alliance and actually we love the three-day sessions that there was. I went to part of each of the 3 days. When I

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mentioned earlier that downtown should feel sticky. I don't mean like we're not playing the sidewalks. I mean that you should be down here for something. For for visiting a friend apartment. And you should say, hey, that's a cool restaurant. I would love to try. Yu can say, hey, that's a really nice park. I would love to do it actually started taking not today because it's extremely hot, again, taking meetings. part because >> I don't want to be in this bill then all the tme. But also because it's important to kind of show that we have public infrastructure that works for people and so doing those kinds of things I think is it's it's a good indication that they think that that would be a guess short-term answer at also say if you want to pitch that really easy softball to someone like a Joe Spencer, I would be happy to hear his answer on this, too, because I think he thinks about it even more than I do because of job. Essentially. >> All I take on some are just this question. I come up as well. But you have a couple minutes. So you know, I want to make sure the Josh Dave and Joe are able to come in and also just like kind of perfect segue. And, you know, I think that the county partnership to is really important in trouble to the says so.

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First All-Star, just what you know asking Josh Wilson to come up from the county and just talk a little bit, too about the county partnership. I know that we've had different types presentations as well with the county where we learned about this taxable land versus non taxable. I know that there's ample amount of cover sticks around us in the county's investment downtown to so anything that you might add. It's welcome. Thank you. Madam Counselors. Yeah, I mean, I think we we are committed to this partnership. I think what we laid has a county and over the last couple months around, building sronger together as a brought to you previously centers downtown. As part of that Economic development initiative. And so downtown is central on multiple pieces central because it's the central business district. >> For the county but also central for a lot of other things. And so I think it's a it's great opportunity for us to. Partner with the city and downtown alliance as well as all those that were on those that previous slide to really activate downtown on a multiple set of I think the U.S. is mayor talked about housing a lot. And I think that's a really key part of that. And that's key tenet of some of our work around the least trauma

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together. But, you know, we talked about infrastructure. We talked it business vitality and next point to around that stickiness because we have also are anecdotal data that and there's some great resources in the last couple months that have been presented, the communities that have the highest levels of vitality are those who have the highest level of dwell time. And what it means by that is folks who are coming for one thing and staying for 2 or 3 things and that that's important. That's important for public safety. That's important for economic vitality. That's important to property taxes. But that's important to continuing to have Saint Paul in downtown Saint Paul in particular, on a global map. Because we are you saw a little bit of the data from this morning. I'm going to connect the dots because that's what I do in my own other job. Is that a Having migration and talking about population growth are linked to how our places and how vital our places are in the minds of residents. Visitors, what have you and so, you know, I just say that like that's the that I think was been discussed yet that we have a good attraction. But then we have the ability to keep and stay. And I think downtown housing is going to be a key part of that. But

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those other components are really, really important. Infrastructure wise, making it feel as though you're walking down a sidewalk that feel safe and cool on hot But also warm in the winter because the best downtowns Super vital. And I say by vital and vibrancy, 18 hours a day, 4 seasons here. Have thank you, Mr. Council I want to go back to your question. I wasn't sure if mean it's for the Houston mayor. I do have a question just our homeless response. But so don't get too far. But go ahead, Councilmember just something it was. It was a to this is that Mary, appreciate what you said about downtown and that there. If your things happening downtown 3 inch and 65 days a year, I I really like that vision for recently visited downtown Chicago. And I went into downtown Chicago without a real plan of what I was going to do, which is like me. But I knew that there was so much to do that. I didn't really need to think about it. And I hope that people. >> Inner city or people visiting can see Saint Paul that way, too, that there's museums. There's parks theirs. >> Libraries, there's so much happening that if you just come into downtown, you'll be able find things to do so. I really just appreciate said about that. And I think it's a great goal.

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Yeah. Like also isn't down I think that, you know, when thinking about investments and even just how we best utilized the river, I hope there's a lot of things how it's Well, when it comes to that front. But I hope to kind of see. And some places I think down to Milwaukee to interest comparison. But I guess my question was really just to put the 2 of you, I think just it's I talk about how important have part of downtown revitalization, inclusive of those making sure that we have a comprehensive response to folks that aren't sheltered. I really revel relevant to the now to know that there's going to be hall, futuristic conversations or doesn't to be as ad death. But I think when we talk about opportunities for city councils, County partnerships, I can't think of a better one than that and switches wondering how you guys are thinking about that. As we talk about revitalization. >> Chair and council members, I'd say that the county's a crucial partnei any of encampment response and homeless response work that we're as a service provider as folks who kind of oversee the social service programs. >> And as a partner in kind of the geography that we have, the county is absolutely at the at the table with us and kind of coming up at the

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creative solutions. I think specific to downtown and response. It's kind of about those. The 40's that I think chief Henry likes to highlight, which is threes I should say. I think it's educate and courage and then in force and it has to be in that order, educate around the ordinances and around kind of. But the rules regulations are for the public space. And we have. Kind of encourage say, you know, we shouldn't really be doing this here. Those types of things. And then in force. And like I said, that that continue has to the way that it ends up working. And say this is not a one size fits all problem. I think each individual bsiness owner, resident anyone that's experiencing some of these things and downtown, including a and house residents, too, have that specific story and individual experience and how this actually operates. And so I'm proud of the work that, you know your face is that as part of the work that PD does great work that safety ambassadors do. It has to kind of take all of us to work together and and there's not a one size fits. All solution are also already would have been done. >> Josh, you want to add anything? The council president. >> Thanks, grateful for the

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question. Also that are going to have more conversation about Certain point topic, Mr. Wilson, thanks for being here. I'm No building stronger together. The chair mentioned it was announced by the county almost exactly 3 months ago. Now we had you in and we're asking some questions about the details of the 50 million for housing and for a public street gives downtown. I think at the time, not a lot of detail yet figured out about where those investments would be made or how the decisions to be made. Can you give us an update on what has been done over the last 3 months and where we're at in terms of figuring ot how those investments will be made. >> Madam council member just to the microphone unknown >> So we are spending quite a bit of time internally making sure that we're well equipped to deploy those funds as quickly as possible. And I realized 3 minutes is a period of time. But to deploy 100 million dollars along our timelines. Take some time. I think what we are beginning to do to do our targeted engagement with >> Kind of core Partners, Inc or stakeholders in downtown in particular because a lot of those no pun intended intersections happen economic vitality, housing and infrastructure on the streets. So we're spending some time

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but we should be really kind of starting to roll out more detailed planning in the next month or so as we kind of taken that input and began to kind of layered into more of an action plan. I would like to flood, though are per our county, though, does have a couple programs that will be coming live. That intersect with this, this funding but not is independent of that 100 Million. So the county's critical corridor program. Which has been a program that's run through community, economic development Department for the last couple years. We actually amended it for Starting last fall. many that for this coming spring into summer to include downtown isn't eligible area. That's a change from from where we the last several years because as you can imagine, when you're talking about a transit oriented development program. Moore your most rich environment may be eligible for almost all of your money. And that's why we kind of held back in previous iterations to kind of foster projects across the county. To do that. But I think we're recognizing the moment and recognizing the kind of timing piece. And so one thing to I Councilman Acres. One thing we're kind of doing an interim kind of aligning our programming in with what is expected to be the larger

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deployment of 100 million dollars through our housing program programs through kind of infrastructure program, timelines and such so I would say expect to see a lot more in the next to 2 months, but we're kind of starting to find groove fundingo a chance to align all that. Wonderful event. And I'll just note that there's like going to be like a rollout this need more details of the Hyundai. Please consider the council with an invitation. >> Thank you, Mr. Olsen. >> Well, and what the Joe, just because I know I'm being cautious of time and I do appreciate you guys sitting through that. >> And I think we'll just for you bring up the question of just like the vision that you all have for downtown and maybe just anything that you want to share with folks who or they're looking to connect with your even looking to know more about the work that you guys are doing. I know you've been with us for a while. So thank you, Mr. Spencer, thank you. Johnson and members of the council. I want to do that. >> There's a question about timing and one of my observations that because of the way assessments, pork. The property tax assessments and collections is going to lag the market. And so my hope that we're

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maybe in. And then the tail end of market bottom. I think you can expect to see falling assessment values for the next few years just because of the way that process works. And so I to some etent that that cake is And we have some very serious challenges in front of us and that opportunity. how quickly we can recover, how quickly we can. Kind of surpass any kind of historic high downtown. He's had. And so while I'm really, really optimistic about all of the partnerships we have and the fantastic coordination and investments we're seeing from especially the county. Also the city and in the private sector. The reality is we're going to be asking for more. I think this this is a commitment that is going to have to be lasting and it's going to have to be increasing over the next few years. If we're going to. Again accelerate that recovery and provide the property tax relief across the city across the county. I think that's just a reality. And I think it's so I want to it. Great expectation like we're going to be back asking for more and more over the next few years so that we can essentially shrink the. Sarah Payne period of down side of the market cycle. But in terms of what we're working toward and the vision for where we're heading.

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I say like historically one since I've had this job, the way I've described is that you can come to any given corner at any given hour, you're going to find a place that's alive with people. That's the phrase that brings about what is what is a vibrant downtown, like for me. But really based on the work of the downtown investment strategy and the work of the engagement. sort refer find that a bit and a couple of ways. One is I think our strategy needs to be much more targeted and much more focused so rather than spring thing. The investments any given corner any given black face, we've really identified. He connecting corridors history. Kellogg while Robert. And so that you have the experience if you visit other cities, go to Chicago. You you see. You know, you go out into the streetscape and and the street kind of draws you down like tells you which which is the street to go down. Want explore down the street. There's something to see a kind of. 15 feet. You' seeing something new, a new treat and it drives down. And and you can want miles of that really even thinking about that is I think our vision for downtown Tea Party. Yu cme for the banner to visit a friend and you're just drawn down the street tour a vibrant opportunity. And then the

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language that really came out of the engagement work. Was inspiring to Talk alot about pedestrian friendliness for walkability, but the but the words of got used were much more evocative. It was about wondering was about strolling. It was about meandering down the street. I can something interesting. Every next steps. I think that's that's how I think about. And then finally, I just want to say wen we look at the best revitalization downtown's around the country again, it we do see that requires this kind of partnership and it requires kind of major investment Chicago. It was a massive and hundreds of millions dollars to pick up put in the LaSalle District order to help revitalize that. That's a credit due to the Loop Alliance there as well as the city of Chicago. A lot of these investments. come with it. You know degree of pain? it's hard to spend that kind of money. But then you see the return on the investment. How quickly and accelerate the recovery. Chicago. You see it Milwaukee. You see it and Detroit, you see around the country. And so we know from best practices we know from some of these model maybe hit bottom. Bfore we did how it can be done. And we also see into these of stagnant and don't recover question quickly, kind of the risk of

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of not making I'm really appreciative of your partnership. and again, I think we have a period of years have us. We're going to have to continue to really big dig down, work hard at this work. Bt I also again, when we look at those maps, we look at partnerships, we have a new investors. We have, I think we've turned the corner. And if we if we capture this moment and we build on this momentum like we're going to get that this is going to work. I I've lived I work in this downtown, essentially my whole career. I love it deeply. And I've always been optimistic. We're going to have that day when like we are it place in the market. We see it move around it's coming here. We just have to stay focused and stay committed to it. our best days are ahead of us. Well, thank you so much, Mr. Spencer and yes, we. >> I think one of the things that has been really clear is that this council and administration also have downtown at the center of what we do. recognize the importance the investment because impacts all the city. And as we continue to see whether it's a state, demographer or Ramsey County Sherry, the tax base, we recognize that, you know, we have to invest also be able to relieve our constituents to state said he So thank you so

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much for everybody's time. And with that colleagues, we're adjourned.