FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 22, 2025
CONTACT
Jennifer “JLor” Lor
JLor@ci.stpaul.mn.us
(651) 417-9454
SAINT PAUL – Today, Mayor Melvin Carter announced that Saint Paul joined a federal lawsuit led by the City of Fresno, Calif., seeking to stop the enforcement of unlawful executive orders that risk the loss of substantial grant funding for the City.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, among other agencies, have threatened to withhold, rescind, or cut grant funding from communities to force compliance with a presidential agenda, rather than the needs and priorities of local municipalities. This lawsuit also challenges attempts by political appointees to exercise discretion over who receives grant funding.
“We are taking decisive action to protect our access to critical funding that ensures our ability to administer programs that support the health, safety, and economic well-being of our community,” Mayor Carter said. “Once again, what our residents pay into the federal tax base must come back to benefit our community—not be weaponized for political gain.”
The City of Saint Paul relies on about $262 million in receivable federal funding to support critical investments in emergency response, infrastructure, housing, and public and social services—about $197.3 million of which is currently under contract. Of those dollars already under contract, roughly $144.6 million accounts for one-time capital investment projects and the remaining $52.6 million supports ongoing programs and department operations.
Another $64.9 million is in the post-award phase of establishing workplans and executing contracts. The city has also applied for an additional $64.2 million in federal grants.
Major initial impacts include:
- Unable to finalize contracts and distribute already-awarded funding for proven safety measures across 34 miles of High Injury Network and at over 70 intersections.
- Unable to apply for funding to replace the eastbound Kellogg Bridge, which is the City’s highest priority infrastructure improvement project.
- Unable to finalize contracts and distribute already-awarded funding to conduct an asset scan of City-owned properties, critical to establishing an asset management initiative that reimagines uses for unused or under-utilized real estate.
- Severely limiting capacity to invest in affordable housing, economic development, and neighborhood District Councils.
- Potential loss of year-round youth employment programs like Right Track, which serves youth from low-income neighborhoods and opens the door for internships.
“This action was necessary to prevent enforcement of coercive and unlawful conditions that violate the separation of powers and due process, and will cause irreparable harm to the City of Saint Paul and our residents,” said City Attorney Lyndsey Olson.
Read Mayor Carter’s full statement.
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