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Council members press DSI over communication, timeline and funding for tenant protections implementation
Summary
HRA chair and several council members said they have not received timely updates from DSI on implementing tenant protections passed by ordinance, and asked about a $380,000 requisition and account setup needed before work can begin.
Council members on the St. Paul Finance and Budget Committee on Oct. 24, 2025 questioned Department of Safety and Inspections Director Angie Weasey about delays and limited communication in implementing tenant protections the council previously approved.
Chair Johnson, who also serves as HRA chair, said the council’s office made repeated requests for meetings and memos beginning in July and has not received clear timelines or requisition documents from DSI. “I really want to be transparent about that because this work has a start date of May 2026,” Johnson said on the record, adding the council’s HRA office is ready to release funds but needs clearer coordination.
Weasey said the ordinance changes “to add tenant protections” are ready and that she had spoken with the deputy city attorney; she recommended coordinating with the city attorney and council staff when the council wants to move the administrative code changes forward. Weasey also said parts of the tenant‑protections work rely on non‑general fund resources and that the department needs an accounting unit to submit requisitions.
Why it matters: the tenant protections ordinance creates new administrative duties for DSI and requires staff time, intake processes, multimedia outreach and website integration. Council members said those tasks must be coordinated with the Office of Financial Empowerment (OFE) and the HRA because the program includes education and tenant/landlord communications already developed in earlier phases.
Clarifying details recorded in the meeting: DSI identified an estimated $380,000 in personnel, equipment and services tied to initial implementation (DSI said the figure was projected in 2024 and includes costs such as mailings and translation). Weasey said staff position audit forms are under review with HR before requisitions can be posted. She added that some content and trackers exist from prior OFE work but need additional bandwidth to be operational and integrated with Poly.
Council members requested a clearer timeline, a copy of the requisition when available and regular check‑ins with council offices and OFE. The budget chair said she will prioritize follow‑up and asked DSI to provide the requested materials in a timely manner.
Authorities and legal steps discussed included DSI’s administrative code (referred to in the meeting as Chapter 13), repeal of a conflicting Chapter 54 provision, and references to another chapter cited in the presentation. Weasey told the committee the department was prepared to bring the Chapter 13 changes forward when council direction and coordination with the city attorney’s office were in place.
The committee did not take a formal vote on implementation funding during the session; council members and DSI agreed to follow up with timelines and documentation before the end of the year.
