St. Paul affordable housing development faces mixed community concerns

ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - Community members are speaking both for and against plans for a new affordable housing development in St. Paul’s east side.

Divided opinions

While supporters are pointing to the need in the neighborhood, others are pointing to another property managed by the same company as a cautionary tale.

This site near the intersection of White Bear Avenue North and 3rd Street in St. Paul is currently vacant. It is fenced off with a sign that reads, Land for Sale.

Saint Pascal Baylon Catholic Church, which sits right across the street, owns the land.

Now, it is requesting the city re-zone the lot and approve conditional use, so Beacon Interfaith Housing Collaborative can build a 53-unit affordable housing complex.

The land is currently zoned residential, not for multiple-family construction.

Kevin Walker, Vice President of Housing Development at Beacon Interfaith Housing Collaborative, said there are 62 known situations of children experiencing homelessness at four schools within a mile of the site. The non-profit affordable housing organization said this is one of the ways that the Aragon is designed to meet local unmet housing needs.

Walker said the Aragon is intended to be a mixed-income workforce family housing – focused on families.

"For a family of four, you’re making like $70,000 or $75,000 at that area-median income level," said Walker. "The majority of our building will be slightly below 50% and up to 60%."

Public comment

The public comment period is currently open, and many residents spoke in front of city council on Wednesday voicing both support and opposition to the planned development.

Concerned community members pointed to problems at another Beacon-managed property, Kimball Court Apartments in the Hamline-Midway area, as an example of something they do not want moving in.

"With residents, with one of their properties having police and paramedic calls, 200 already this year," said a community member.

"Residents have come in with over 100 people who are very concerned about this project," said a community member.

"Primary concerns have been related to one property, not multiple. I haven’t heard other properties raised. Over 70% of our residents from Kimball have one-year housing stability. And if they leave the building, about 60% or a little more than 60% of them move on to other stable-housing settings," said Walker. "I looked at five of our properties recently and again, housing stability is at 86% a year after they’ve moved into our housing.

Beacon leadership is drawing a clear distinction between neighborhoods and said overall, their 24 properties across the Twin Cities metro have been fulfilling the purpose they set out to.

There has been so much community engagement, city council decided to keep the public comment period open on this matter through its next meeting on Dec. 4.