Saint Paul council weighs two appeals over conversions to supportive housing; one laid over, one denied

The Saint Paul City Council on July 9 took separate actions on two appeals of Board of Zoning Appeals decisions that sought variances to convert existing buildings into supportive housing.

The council laid over the appeal for 418 Sherburne Avenue to Aug. 6 to allow more time for legal review and additional information. The council denied the appeal for 438 Daley Street, upholding the BZA's denial and leaving the existing rooming-house use in place without conversion to a supportive housing facility.

The appeals arise from a change in how state licensing treats certain congregate living operations, prompting some property owners to add on-site services and thus become classified as supportive housing under the city's zoning code. Department of Safety and Inspections staff member David Eid told the council that supportive-housing conversions are treated as a higher-intensity use and that applicants must meet separation and other criteria in the city's code. Eid said the Sherburne application sought to convert a fourplex into a 24-resident supportive housing facility (six residents per unit with on-site…