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HRA presents plan to divest or develop about 200 parcels; HUD deadlines push NSP properties forward
Summary
St. Paul HRA staff reported on a short-term push to dispose of remaining Neighborhood Stabilization Program properties to meet HUD deadlines and described about 200 HRA-owned parcels across the city; staff highlighted several parcels in active development or for sale.
Housing and Redevelopment Authority (HRA) staff briefed commissioners on HRA-owned land across the city and a near-term effort to dispose of remaining Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) parcels that have HUD deadlines.
Daniella Lorenz, principal project manager supervising economic development project managers, said the HRA currently owns about 200 parcels across six of seven council wards; there are no HRA parcels in Ward 3. She told the body staff are prioritizing disposal or redevelopment of NSP-funded parcels in the next three to four months to meet HUD requirements and are working through the remainder of the inventory for longer-term disposition strategies.
Lorenz identified several projects in flight and parcels staff expect to market soon. She told commissioners 560 Brunson (Ward 2) is an NSP project being developed through the Inspiring Communities program and is expected to start construction in the fall as four attached townhomes restricted to households at 80% AMI or less. She said 930 York (Ward 6) and other NSP projects are nearing completion and will be listed when ready. Staff also identified parcels for sale or rezoning work: 1059 Maryland Avenue (about 0.2 acres) is currently zoned B2 and staff intend to rezone it to a T district to allow more mixed-use options; 674 Wells and 1046 Arcade were named as small sites the HRA is preparing to advertise. Lorenz said some lots are small or otherwise difficult to develop and could be combined with neighboring lots, used as side lots, transferred to city park/right-of-way ownership, or sold via RFP or private sale.
Lorenz described an internal reorganization to create a development team intended to better coordinate project managers, planners and housing staff so the HRA can market properties and “get them back on the tax rolls.” She also said several parcels have active proposals and will come to the board as staff complete early-notification and sales-policy steps.
Commissioners asked about risks that buyers would purchase lots without timely development; Lorenz said staff plan to use tentative developer agreements and enforceable timelines so the HRA can reclaim parcels if developers fail to meet milestones. Commissioners suggested notifying local land-focused groups, including Land Bank Twin Cities and East Side groups, about available parcels, especially those on the East Side and in Ward 6.
No votes were taken; the item was an informational update with follow-up presentations promised later in August on broader HRA land strategy.
