Molly Coleman, Ward 4 Councilmember, ward4@ci.stpaul.mn.us
Jenne Nelson, Legislative Aide, jenne.nelson@ci.stpaul.mn.us
Kristin Koziol, Executive Assistant, kristin.koziol@ci.stpaul.mn.us
Kaitlynn Fuller, Communications Intern, kaitlynn.fuller@ci.stpaul.mn.us
 Alex Castaneda, owner of Port2050, greets customers inside his newly expanded coffee shop.
There has been a major expansion to Port2050, a coffee shop in the Wycliff Building, 2327 Wycliff St Suite 100. Their newly expanded space is great for meetings and other gatherings. To celebrate, there will be a grand opening on Friday, May 8th, from 8 am - 4 pm.
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The new meeting space!
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 The Saint Paul City Council as crocheted dolls, handcrafted by Nichelle Bottko Woods.
Chapter 44A
On April 22nd, the Saint Paul City Council unanimously passed ORD 26-19 (Chapter 44A) to strengthen training, reporting, and accountability related to federal immigration enforcement. The ordinance sets clear expectations for City employees, reinforces limits on the use of City resources, and improves transparency for both leadership and the community.
Read the full press release here: https://www.stpaul.gov/news/saint-paul-city-council-unanimously-passes-ordinance-strengthen-city-policies-federal
Tenant Protections Ordinance
Last year, the City Council passed a new tenant protections ordinance, ORD 25-31, that will go into effect on May 14th. You can learn more about rights and responsibilities on the City’s Tenant Protections website, here: https://www.stpaul.gov/departments/safety-inspections/rent-buy-sell-property/renting-property/tenant-protections
Construction at Kimball Court is almost complete! The Ward 4 office has toured the space to see all of the improvements. The expansion brings new features and rooms such as a single ingress door with 24-hour security, twenty-four new efficiency units, two new single-room occupancies, two dedicated community spaces (an increase from zero!), a computer lab, a fitness center, a larger and more accessible space for on-site services, and much more. The photos below showcase some of these spaces and features.
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The new on-site services space.
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A kitchenette inside of one of the new efficiency units.
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The new single ingress door.
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 The new HourCar hub on the Hamline University campus.
HourCar is a nonprofit car-sharing network that provides sustainable, affordable, and convenient transportation. As of May 1st, there is a new HourCar hub located on the Hamline University campus. There is currently one gas car located at the site. This hub is open to the community, and it also provides a new way for students to get around. The address is Lot A2, 1487 W Taylor Ave. To view the new hub location or to find an HourCar hub near you, visit https://hourcar.org/locations. To learn more about HourCar, visit their website at https://hourcar.org/.
The City of Saint Paul announced the planned redevelopment of the former CVS site on Snelling and University. The private development will be led by 499 Snelling Realty Company, an enterprise managed by Dr. Bill McGuire. Development on the former CVS site is expected to bring market-rate apartments and new retail services to the neighborhood.
CM Coleman stated, “Watching that vacant CVS come down was a huge milestone, and now – not even a month later – we get to celebrate the potential spurred by that demolition. . .It is welcome news for the Midway that Dr. McGuire is continuing to invest and expand on the energy and excitement around what we all know should be the most vibrant, welcoming corner in Saint Paul.”
You can read the full press release here: https://www.stpaul.gov/news/redevelopment-former-cvs-site-advance-saint-pauls-midway-neighborhood
Introducing the Our Saint Paul Newsletter
Sign up to get at-a-glance updates delivered directly to your email inbox so you can stay informed and get involved.
The City of Saint Paul is introducing a new, biweekly newsletter to help community members stay informed of the work happening across our city. The Our Saint Paul Newsletter provides a biweekly digest of important updates on projects, programs, resources, engagement opportunities, and upcoming events.
The Our Saint Paul Newsletter is delivered via email every other Friday.
Housing Rental/Emergency Assistance Resources
If you need help paying help for rent, mortgage, utilities or car repairs, contact Ramsey County Emergency Assistance at (651) 266-4884.
Renters’ Rights in Eviction if you were Detained or Afraid to Leave your Home
City of Saint Paul Emergency Rent Assistance: The Emergency Rental Assistance Program offers support to renter households in Saint Paul facing a pending eviction due to unforeseen circumstances when other assistance options are unavailable. Eligible households may receive a one-time payment of up to $3,500 for late rent and associated fees, paid directly to the landlord. Residents are only eligible for funding once a year.
To learn more, visit our website or contact staff by phone or via email:
The following resources may also be able to offer additional help with rental assistance:
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United Way’s 211 Line (2-1-1), this line will get you started with Ramsey County services.
Other Community Resources
Keystone Community Food Center: Visit the food center at 1800 University Ave W. No appointment or advanced registration is required. Food shelf participants are served on a first come, first served basis during the hours listed below. Please call 651-917-3792 if you have any questions.
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Monday: 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. & 2:00 – 4:00 p.m.
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Tuesday: 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. & 2:00 – 4:00 p.m.
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Wednesday: 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. & 4:00 – 6:00 p.m.
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Thursday: 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. & 2:00 – 4:00 p.m.
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Friday: 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. & 2:00 – 4:00 p.m.
MN Department of Children, Youth, and Families is tracking federal actions that may affect programs serving Minnesota children and families. Visit the DCYF site to see updates.
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From May 4th to June 3rd, submissions are open for the 2026 Sidewalk Poetry Contest! This collaboration between Saint Paul Public Art and the Capitol Region Watershed District brings a fun opportunity to transform the sidewalks in our city. This year's theme is "Water" inspired by the Capitol Region Watershed District’s We Are Water exhibit. To learn more or enter a submission, visit https://publicartstpaul.org/sidewalk-poetry-2026/ |
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In partnership with a number of community organizations, Bethlehem Lutheran in the Midway will be hosting Harm Reduction Trainings on Thursday, May 14th and Thursday, May 21st. Both events are at Bethlehem Lutheran in the Midway, 436 Roy St. N.
May 14th (12 pm - 2 pm) Harm Reduction 101 - An introduction to Harm Reduction. This is geared toward people who are not as familiar with the concepts of Harm Reduction, Housing First, etc.
May 21st (6 - 8 pm) Harm Reduction in the Midway - This panel will give some insights about what they are seeing, what we should be aware of, what to do when we encounter people who are using, etc.
To help prepare for food, please register at bit.ly/midwayharmreduction.
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On Friday, May 15th from 4 - 7 pm, the City of Saint Paul Parks and Recreation and Ramsey County are hosting a tree planting event to celebrate Arbor Month. Volunteers will plant trees to help restore the tree canopy at Newell Park, 900 Fairview Ave N. This is a drop-in event, so come any time between 4 and 7. Climbing activities will begin at 4:30 pm.
A planting assistant will help guide each small group planting the day of and answer any tree-related questions. All the necessary planting tools will be provided.
Registration required. Register here: 2026 Arbor Month Tree Planting. This is a family friendly event that is open to individuals and groups. When registering please note how many people are in your group.
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On Saturday, May 16th from 1 - 4 pm, the Hamline Elementary Husky Pack, Hamline Midway Coalition, and more organizations are collaborating to host the Mighty Midway Festival. The festival will take place at Hancock Recreation Center, 1610 Hubbard Ave, and the Hamline Elementary field.
The festival will feature entertainment, food, fun and games, a bake sale, a community expo, and more. It is free and open to the community. Rain or shine!
There are several ways to participate! Sign up and learn more:
For more information about donating to the bake sale or general questions, contact Karen McCauley at karen.mccauley@spps.org.
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On Tuesday, May 19th from 9:30 am - 12:30 pm, there will be a career fair hosted by Goodwill-Easter Seals. The event will take place at Goodwill-Easter Seals Minnesota's Career & Services Campus, 1270 Energy Ln. There will be 30+ employers and free rides provided by Metro Transit! For more details and the registration link, click here: Goodwill-Easter Seals Spring Career Fair |
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On Wednesday, May 20th from 6 - 7:30 pm, the Saint Paul Police Civilian Internal Affairs Review Commission is hosting the 20226 PCIARC Annual Summit at the North End Community Center, 145 Lawson Ave W. Join to learn more about the civilian oversight of Saint Paul Police Department and how community members are involved in the filing and review of complaints about police misconduct. There will also be a review of the 2025 complaint data and a Q & A.
RSVP here: PCIARC 2026 Annual Summit
There is also a virtual attendance option. The link will be shared to those who RSVP.
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Arts on Lafond has lots of events lined up for May!
Sunday, May 10th at 4 pm - The Guitar Series: Tim Sparks and Phil Heywood
Tuesday, May 12th at 7 pm - Soundbath with Marc Anderson
Wednesday, May 13th at 6:30 pm - A food justice fundraiser with Pat Donhue and Dan Newton's Café Accordion Orchestra.
Thursday, May 14th at 7 pm - Experimental Jazz on Lafond returns with Noah Ophoven-Baldwin, cornet, and Adam Linz, bass.
Sunday, May 17th at 4 pm - The Guitar Series: Floe Trio
Thursday, May 21st at 7 pm - Vanguard New Music Series - flute, cello and piano. New works by Ryan Johnston, Aaron Kerr, and Andrew Cannestrata.
Wednesday, May 27th at 6:30 pm - Soundbath with Julie Lentz.
All events are hosted at Zion Community Commons, 1697 Lafond Ave.
Contact John Marboe, johncharles2@gmail.com, or Mira Kehoe, miratomkehoe@gmail.com, with inquiries.
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