Lowertown resident forming grassroots
effort to improve downtown living conditions
Jake Spitzack
Staff Writer
After multiple requests to her apartment building owner to address safety concerns and poor upkeep went unresolved, Lowertown resident Sara Davis decided to take matters into her own hands. She recently started recruiting her neighbors to form a tenants union to help bring about making much-needed improvements. She is also asking tenants in other buildings in Lowertown to let her know of any inadequate living conditions at their building, so they may band together to advocate for change. To get involved, contact her at 952-999-1082 or LowertownCallToAction@gmail.com.
“I think there’s a lot of building owners and property managers that maybe aren’t doing their part because they only care about the monetary aspect, and it’s like, ‘there’s people dealing drugs right outside your front door. Why aren’t you dealing with that?’” said Davis.
“If building owners aren’t taking care of what they’re supposed to, you can call the city and if they get enough complaints, then they’re going to hop on it. Same with being aware of your safety as a neighbor. If you see something going on that’s not okay then you need to reach out to somebody because the more calls they get, hopefully the more they’re going to actually be present down here.”
A longtime Californian, Davis got her first taste of St. Paul when visiting her son a few years ago. She liked it so much that she moved here about four months later. Since then, the quaint beauty she originally experienced has slowly diminished in her eyes. A major reason is that some alleyways aren’t regularly cleaned of trash and drug paraphernalia. She has also witnessed incidents of indecent exposure outside her building, even in broad daylight during the highly attended Twin Cities Jazz Fest.
A self-proclaimed progressive, she’s conflicted about reporting some instances of crimes committed by homeless people. She would like to see building owners install more safety measures such as lights and cameras, where needed, and take better care of their alleyways. She noted that her complaints to her building owners have prompted them to ask her three times to sign a mutual lease termination agreement.
Ultimately, Davis believes it will take teamwork from residents and city leaders to help rejuvenate downtown. One such effort is gaining steam. In July, the St. Paul City Council approved the expansion of the Downtown Improvement District to serve all of downtown – from the Xcel Energy Center to CHS Field, the Mississippi River to I-94 – and include both commercial and residential properties as a funding source. The district is funded through a self-imposed fee to property owners and supports enhanced services such as safety and security, and street ambassadors who provide outreach and wellness checks, graffiti and trash removal, and more. The Improvement District has been in place downtown since 2021 and requires reauthorization every five years to keep operating.
Of course, the decision to expand the Improvement District wasn’t without some opposition. Some property owners said the city should already be addressing many of the issues that the street ambassadors report and work on, and that it’s not fair to put more costs on property owners right now considering the many buildings and retail spaces that have become vacant downtown since 2020. Davis is reaching out to city leaders and business owners to determine the top issues they see affecting downtown’s quality of life.
Davis is a full-time finance worker operating remotely and volunteers for the East Phillips Neighborhood Institute, which is working to convert a warehouse in Minneapolis into affordable housing and an indoor farm. She is also pursuing a degree in community advocacy and political leadership from Metro State University.
To report a problem property or file a police report, visit stpaul.gov/departments/police. In case of emergency, call 911.
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