MINNEAPOLIMEDIA NEWS | Saint Paul Opens Federal Housing and Community-Development Spending Report for Public Review

SAINT PAUL, MN (August 4, 2026). Saint Paul residents can now review and comment on a city report explaining how federal housing and community-development funds were used during the program year that ended May 31.

The public-comment period for Saint Paul’s draft Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report began August 3 and will continue through August 18.

The city prepares the report for submission to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Known as the CAPER, the document examines Saint Paul’s use of money from three principal federal programs:

• Community Development Block Grants
• HOME Investment Partnerships
• Emergency Solutions Grants

Those programs support housing, neighborhood investment, homelessness response and other community-development activities.

What the Report Does

Cities receiving certain HUD grants must establish plans explaining how the money will be used and later report what was accomplished.

The CAPER is the year-end accountability component of that process.

It allows federal officials and the public to compare Saint Paul’s stated goals with its spending and reported results. The report can include information about projects financed, households assisted, populations served and progress toward the city’s housing and community-development objectives.

Saint Paul’s current report covers Program Year 2025–26, which ended May 31.

The city will submit its final CAPER to HUD no later than August 29.

Public Hearing Scheduled

Saint Paul will hold a public hearing from 4 to 5 p.m. Thursday, August 13, at the Hallie Q. Brown Community Center, 270 North Kent Street.

Residents may attend the hearing and comment in person.

The draft report is available through the city’s CAPER information page and through the Saint Paul Public Library’s mobile library.

Comments may be submitted to Jessica Deegan, the city’s grants compliance manager, by email, telephone or mail.

Email, telephone and voicemail comments must be received by 4:30 p.m. August 18. Mailed comments will be considered if they are postmarked no later than August 18.

The city has instructed people requiring accommodations for the hearing or access to the report to contact Deegan at least one week before the hearing.

The official public notice also provides assistance information for residents who need the material translated into Spanish, Somali or Hmong.

Federal Programs Under Review

Community Development Block Grants give cities flexible funding to address needs affecting residents with low and moderate incomes. Projects may include housing rehabilitation, public facilities, neighborhood improvements, economic-development efforts and public services.

The HOME Investment Partnerships Program supports affordable housing through activities such as construction, rehabilitation, rental assistance and homeownership initiatives.

Emergency Solutions Grants help communities respond to homelessness by supporting shelters, outreach, homelessness prevention and rapid rehousing.

Because these programs can affect housing stability and neighborhood conditions, the CAPER provides residents with an opportunity to examine whether federal money reached the communities and purposes for which it was intended.

Why This Matters

Public hearings about federal reports rarely attract the attention given to elections, major developments or City Council disputes. Yet the programs examined in this report influence whether residents can find stable housing, avoid homelessness and remain in their communities.

The public-comment period gives residents and service organizations an opportunity to identify gaps between the city’s reported achievements and conditions experienced by people seeking help.

Participation also creates a public record. Comments submitted during the review process become part of the accountability surrounding Saint Paul’s use of federal resources.

Residents do not need specialized knowledge of federal housing programs to participate. People who received services, attempted to obtain assistance, operate community organizations or have observed unmet housing needs can provide relevant information about how programs function outside official reports.

The complete review schedule and submission instructions are available through the City of Saint Paul.

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