Renters on the brink of eviction in St. Paul could see help arrive faster after the City Council voted this week to pump roughly $1.4 million into the city’s Emergency Rental Assistance program. The move adds both staff and cash to a system that city leaders say is straining under rising demand, bringing total ERA funding to about $3.8 million.
Where the money comes from
The council signed off on a $1,426,220 budget amendment that reshuffles existing housing dollars, according to City of Saint Paul. The plan shifts $926,220 from the Families First pilot in the Housing Trust Fund toward ERA staffing and redirects $500,000 in Local Affordable Housing Aid into direct rental relief. That brings total ERA resources to $3,806,220, the city reports.
Of the redirected $926,220, about $152,249 is reserved in 2026 to hire two full‑time positions, with the remainder held to cover staffing costs in the following years, according to the city.
Staffing and demand
Housing and Redevelopment Authority Chair Cheniqua Johnson told KSTP the city will bring on two additional full‑time employees to process applications and manage payouts.
Johnson and city staff pointed to last year’s numbers as a warning light: a short application window still drew about 610 applications, the ERA phone line logged roughly 2,200 calls, and 76 households were approved in November. Officials say those figures show the need is climbing, not cooling. With the new hires in place, the city expects to serve roughly 50 to 75 families per month, and eligible households could receive up to $3,500 per month, Johnson told the station.
Why now
City leaders link the timing to the economic fallout from Operation Metro Surge, the recent federal enforcement push in the Twin Cities. They say the surge has strained both households and city services and has pushed more people to seek rental help.
Broader reporting on the operation has documented thousands of arrests and added costs for local governments and businesses, impacts that local officials say will linger even as federal activity ramps down, according to AP News.
What comes next
Officials say the extra cash is designed to keep people housed by speeding up payments and cutting down wait times. The resolution also sets aside money so the new staff positions can continue beyond 2026, instead of disappearing just as residents get used to the help.
"We’ve invested $2.38 million in Emergency Rental Assistance so far, and adding $1.42 million more for staffing and support is a critical investment in prevention, stability, and dignity," Johnson said in the city’s announcement, which stresses getting aid into residents’ hands, according to City of Saint Paul.
