 Today the Saint Paul Housing and Redevelopment Authority approved the guidelines and funding for the city's new Bridge Fund program.
The Saint Paul Bridge Fund will provide emergency relief to small businesses and families in response to the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Applications for both programs will be open online starting April 8th, 2020.
 To view Director Jensen's presentation to the City Council, click the image above and start the video at 19 minutes.
The City of Saint Paul's HREEO Department has received calls with concerns and questions on whether or not they should be receiving Earned Sick and Safe Time.
The questions that Director Jensen answers during the council meeting:
Do employees of restaurants, bars and other service industries impacted by reduction in service due to official declaration receive Earned Sick and Safe Time?
Do employees who have been laid off by their employer because of closure or reduction in service due to official declaration receive ESST?
Do employees whose hours have been reduced since the outbreak, despite the employer not being subject to closure/reduction by official order receive ESST?
Can vulnerable populations can use ESST to stay away from work to avoid contracting COVID-19?
What ESST rights are available for employees who are under quarantine?
Every 10 years, we count of every person living in our country. Saint Paul leads the NATION in response rates and 43% of our responses have come through online.
Now Minnesota just needs to beat Wisconsin.
The Census is a set of few simple questions that asks about everyone living in your household on April 1, 2020 (Census Day). In light of COVID-19, the 2020 Census may not seem as important, but the information collected from all of us will determine the resources available for our community for the next 10 years.
Census data will guide the distribution of $8.7 billion of federal funding in Saint Paul alone. That’s $28,000 per person. 2020 Census results will help us address our growing housing needs and direct billions of dollars in federal funds to our community for schools, roads, public transportation, health clinics, and other public services.
Right now the Frogtown, North End and East Side neighborhoods are at risk of a historic undercount, as are young children, renters, communities of color and indigenous communities, immigrants and refugees, non-English speakers, people experiencing homelessness, undocumented and mixed status families, and low-income families across our City.
You can complete your 2020 Census online, by phone or by mail.
Go to GOV to complete your Census online or call 844-330-2020 to do so over the phone.
If you have questions about the Census, text COUNT to MN-2020 (66-2020)
Daily updates are available, please click the photo below.
The City of Saint Paul has a new phone line and email address to answer questions about the City’s response to the COVID-19 coronavirus. Interpreters are available to answer questions in Hmong, Karen, Oromo, Somali, and Spanish. Learn more at stpaul.gov/coronavirus.
On Monday-Friday, March 30-April 3, the SPPS food truck will be traveling to six schools on a set schedule. Families are welcome to pick up one meal per child, per day, while supplies last. Please practice social distancing (stand at least 6 feet away from other people) while lining up to pick up meals.
The spring break food truck schedule is as follows (subject to change):
On Friday, April 3, meals can also be picked up at the following schools from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. (while supplies last):
If you miss the food truck, several community organizations and local restaurants are providing free meals for families around Saint Paul. For the full list of food resources during Spring Break, click the photo below.
 Hunger Impact Partners is a free mobile app to find and access free meals across Minnesota.
As public schools and community meal sites are closed, free nutritious school meals for kids 18 and under are only a click away. Starting immediately, the Free Meals for Kids mobile app will help families and kids in need find and access free meals at nearly 400 schools and other sites across Minnesota.
The app is powered by GPS and shows locations of schools and other sites that are providing meals and meal packs with days and hours of distribution. It also shows the distance and directions to the nearest site. Kids up to age 18 can show up without prior signup for free meals.
For more information click the photo below.
"The $2 trillion federal coronavirus relief package signed last week, officially known as the CARES Act, includes nearly $350 billion for a small business loan program called the Paycheck Protection Program. The program is designed to get cash into the hands of suffering small businesses quickly, with less red tape and fewer guardrails than the SBA’s existing loan programs. It is designed to incentive business owners to keep employees on the payroll by offering them loan forgiveness." - Washington Post
You can apply through any existing SBA 7(a) lender or through any federally insured depository institution, federally insured credit union, and Farm Credit System institution that is participating. Other regulated lenders will be available to make these loans once they are approved and enrolled in the program. You should consult with your local lender as to whether it is participating in the program.
Lenders may begin processing loan applications as soon as April 3, 2020.
Arts Administrators of Color Network has set up the Arts Leaders of Color Emergency Fund which folks can donate directly to in support of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) artists AND administrators (consultants, facilitators, box office staff, seasonal/temporary employees, etc.) who have been financially impacted due to COVID-19. Creatives practicing and teaching their art as well as the administrators who are supporting that art will without a doubt need our financial support to weather this unexpected and uncertain storm.
For information around how to apply click the photo below.
This week we were challenged by The Getty Museum to recreate paintings with stuff you can find in your home. Some of the results are pretty awesome.
Wash your hands, stay at home and don't forget to find ways to connect with one another. We are in this together.
Hang in there everyone.
Click the photo below to check out the amazing results.
 
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