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West St. Paul approves food-assistance grants and authorizes rent-relief resolution tied to immigration enforcement response
Summary
City Council approved two resolutions to formalize $10,000 in food-assistance grants to local PTAs and to authorize Local Affordable Housing Aid (LAHA) rent/mortgage support for income-eligible residents, with staff estimating 50–100 households may need help.
City Manager Nate Burkett told the West St. Paul City Council on Feb. 9 that the city had already passed a policy resolution, sent a letter to Governor Walz and distributed $10,000 in food assistance to Heritage PTA, Garlough PTA, Moreland PTA and 360 Communities in response to recent immigration enforcement activity. Burkett said staff would formalize the food assistance by resolution and recommended the council consider LAHA-funded rent and mortgage support for residents potentially affected, estimating 50 to 100 households could need aid.
Councilmember Robyn Gulley moved and Councilmember Doug Fromm seconded adoption of Resolution No. 26-019 providing food-assistance grant funds as presented; the motion carried, 6 ayes, 0 nays. Council subsequently considered Resolution No. 26-021 authorizing a grant of Local Affordable Housing Aid funds to a nonprofit to provide rent and/or mortgage support to income-eligible West St. Paul households; that resolution also passed on a 6-0 vote after Gulley moved and Councilmember Lisa Eng-Sarne seconded.
Burkett said staff recommends donating up to $10,000 to each PTA and to the nonprofit already receiving food aid, and considering up to an additional $10,000 to Beyond the Yellow Ribbon for people not linked to a school. The council expressed appreciation to staff for the rapid response. The resolutions do not specify individual household award amounts; staff estimated need is approximately 50–100 households.
The council voted unanimously on both resolutions. The city will formalize the food assistance by resolution implementation and begin program administration as directed; the motions did not detail specific award criteria beyond the resolutions adopted at the meeting.
