Minutes - Board of Commissioners

15 West Kellogg Blvd.

Saint Paul, MN 55102

651-266-9200

Board of Commissioners

Minutes

August 4, 2026 - 9 a.m.

Council Chambers - Courthouse Room 300

The Ramsey County Board of Commissioners met in regular session at 9:05 a.m. with the following

members present: Jebens-Singh, McGuire, Miller, Moran, Xiong and Chair Ortega. Commissioner

McMurtrey was excused. Also present were Ling Becker, County Manager, and Jada Lewis, Civil

Division Director, Ramsey County Attorney's Office.

ROLL CALL

Present:

Jebens-Singh, McGuire, Miller, Moran, Ortega, and Xiong

Excused: McMurtrey

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Presented by Commissioner McGuire.

Agenda of August 4, 2026 is Presented for Approval

2026-276

Sponsors: County Manager's Office

Approve the agenda of August 4, 2026.

Motion by Jebens-Singh, seconded by Miller. Motion passed.

Aye:

Jebens-Singh, McGuire, Miller, Moran, Ortega, and Xiong

Excused: McMurtrey

Minutes from July 28, 2026 are Presented for Approval

2026-277

Sponsors: County Manager's Office

Approve the July 28, 2026 Minutes.

Motion by Miller, seconded by Xiong. Motion passed.

Aye:

Jebens-Singh, McGuire, Miller, Moran, Ortega, and Xiong

Excused: McMurtrey

PROCLAMATION

Proclamation: Child Support Awareness Month

2026-267

2026-261

Sponsors: County Attorney's Office

Presented by Commissioner Miller. Discussion can be found on archived video.

ADMINISTRATIVE ITEMS

Project Budget and Financing Plan for Teams Rooms Technology Project

Sponsors: Property Management

1. Accept and approve the project budget and financing plan for the Teams Room

Technology project in an amount up to $500,000.

2. Authorize the County Manager to account for the Teams Rooms Technology project as

a budgeted project in Property Management.

3. Authorize the County Manager to transfer up to $500,000 from the Capital Projects

Fund Holding Project to the Team Rooms Technology project for project activities.

Motion by McGuire, seconded by Miller. Motion passed.

Aye:

Jebens-Singh, McGuire, Miller, Moran, Ortega, and Xiong

Excused: McMurtrey

Resolution: B2026-099

Proposed Changes and Additions to Social Services Fees

Sponsors: Social Services

2026-266

Approve proposed changes to rates for Mental Health services and additions of a fee schedule

for Guardianship services.

Motion by McGuire, seconded by Miller. Motion passed.

Aye:

Jebens-Singh, McGuire, Miller, Moran, Ortega, and Xiong

Excused: McMurtrey

Resolution: B2026-100

Amendment to Twin Cities Army Ammunition Plant Master Plan

2026-248

Sponsors: Community & Economic Development

Approve the amended Twin Cities Army Ammunition Plant Master Plan.

Discussion can be found on archived video.

Motion by Jebens-Singh, seconded by McGuire. Motion passed.

Aye:

Jebens-Singh, McGuire, Miller, Moran, Ortega, and Xiong

Excused: McMurtrey

Resolution: B2026-101

Obligation of 2026 State Affordable Housing Aid for Housing Development

Projects

2026-269

Sponsors: Community & Economic Development

1. Approve the obligation of State Affordable Housing Aid for recommended projects and

funding amounts for the preservation and construction of affordable housing in the

amount of $436,475.

2. Authorize the County Manager to enter into the necessary loan or other agreements

and execute amendments to loan or other agreements in a manner consistent with local

regulations and requirements, in form approved by the County Attorney’s Office.

Presented by Max Holdhusen, Deputy Director, Community and Economic Development.

Discussion can be found on archived video.

Motion by Moran, seconded by Miller. Motion passed.

Aye:

Jebens-Singh, McGuire, Miller, Moran, Ortega, and Xiong

Excused: McMurtrey

Resolution: B2026-102

Obligation of 2026 Local Affordable Housing Aid for Housing Development

2026-268

Projects

Sponsors: Community & Economic Development

1. Approve the obligation of Local Affordable Housing Aid for recommended projects and

funding amounts for the preservation and construction of affordable housing in the

amount of $8,194,000.

2. Authorize the County Manager to enter into the necessary loan or other agreements

and execute amendments to loan or other agreements in a manner consistent with local

regulations and requirements, in form approved by the County Attorney’s Office.

Presented by Max Holdhusen, Deputy Director, Community and Economic Development.

Discussion can be found on archived video.

Motion by Moran, seconded by Miller. Motion passed.

Aye:

Jebens-Singh, McGuire, Miller, Moran, Ortega, and Xiong

Excused: McMurtrey

Resolution: B2026-103

Amendment to the Agreement with Minnesota Housing Finance Agency for

Family Homelessness Prevention and Assistance Program

2026-273

Sponsors: Housing Stability

1. Approve an amendment to the agreement with Minnesota Housing Finance Agency for

Family Homelessness Prevention and Assistance Program for the period of October 1,

2025, through September 30, 2027, in the amount of $5,281,093, in accordance with

the rates established in the agreement.

2. Authorize the Chair and Chief Clerk to execute the grant agreement.

3. Authorize the County Manager to enter into agreements and execute amendments to

agreements in accordance with the county’s procurement policies and procedures

provided the amounts are within the limits of the grant funding.

Presented by Renee Theese, Prevention and Family Homelessness Prevention and Assistance

Program Coordinator, Housing Stability Department; Jaime Wilkins, Director, Housing Stability

Department. Discussion can be found on archived video.

Motion by Xiong, seconded by Miller. Motion passed.

Aye:

Jebens-Singh, McGuire, Miller, Moran, Ortega, and Xiong

Excused: McMurtrey

Resolution: B2026-104

Ramsey County’s Response to Encampment Closures in the City of Saint Paul

Sponsors: Board of Commissioners

2026-297

10.

1. Affirm that people experiencing homelessness are valued members of the Ramsey

County community and deserve to be treated with dignity and respect, regardless of

their housing status.

2. Affirm the county’s commitment to serving residents experiencing homelessness in

ways that reduce barriers to services and advance opportunity, wellbeing, prosperity,

and housing stability.

3. Recognize that homelessness is driven by a combination of housing challenges,

systemic economic pressures, health conditions, and social factors, and that the

county’s response must address both immediate needs and the underlying systemic

causes.

4. Direct the County Manager to continue implementing a coordinated effort focused on

providing support to residents of encampments in Saint Paul, including:

a. Strengthen existing outreach efforts by providing expanded onsite support at

encampment locations, with the aim of supporting basic needs; helping

residents apply for benefits; and connecting residents to public health, physical

health, mental health, substance use, disability, and housing services.

b. Invest in partnerships that help expand emergency shelter capacity to assist

residents with opportunities to transition from encampments to temporary

shelters, housing or other options.

c. Provide additional support and case management to help residents move from

encampments or temporary shelter to more stable housing.

d. Work closely with the city of Saint Paul and community partners to advance the

housing continuum of care and coordinate services.

e. Continue to provide the Ramsey County Board of Commissioners with regular

updates about the current phased closing of encampments in the city of Saint

Paul.

f. Continue to provide high-level, periodic updates on the county’s efforts to

members of state legislators.

5. Direct the County Manager to advance existing strategies and develop additional

strategies to strengthen the housing continuum, including the following actions, in

alignment with the... Heading Home Ramsey Strategic Plan

<https://www.ramseycountymn.gov/archival-document?id=23765> and the Economic

Competitiveness and Inclusion Plan

<https://www.ramseycountymn.gov/your-government/projects-initiatives/economic-devel

opment-initiatives/economic-competitiveness-inclusion-plan>:

a. Expand housing access through building partnerships with landlords.

b. Increase supportive housing capacity through strategic investments and

coordinated system planning.

c. Transform access to housing by redesigning and modernizing the Coordinated

Entry System.

d. Strengthen services that improve housing stability by addressing complex

behavioral health, medical, and housing needs.

e. Advance the Community Wellness and Response initiative through a One

Ramsey County approach that coordinates and integrates the work of Financial

Assistance Services, Public Health, Community Corrections, Social Services,

Veteran’s Services, Workforce Solutions, and other county departments.

f. Champion regional policy and systems change through advocacy at the local,

state, and federal levels.

g. Build data-driven system performance by aligning investments and system

improvements with data from the Ramsey County Community Needs

Assessment and other sources.

h. Preserve existing affordable housing by supporting the acquisition, renovation,

and preservation of naturally occurring affordable housing.

i. Increase the supply of affordable housing through competitive housing

development funding.

j. Expand opportunities for homeownership through downpayment assistance and

support for home rehabilitation and repair.

k. Strengthen homelessness prevention and housing stabilization efforts to help

households remain stably housed and reduce inflows into homelessness.

l. Strengthen partnerships across cities, healthcare, housing, philanthropy, local

governments and community organizations to improve coordinated responses to

housing instability and homelessness.

Presented by Ling Becker, County Manager; Jaime Wilkins, Director, Housing Stability