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Safe Homes Saint Paul @safehomessaintpaul.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

Beautiful afternoon yesterday to kick off our door knocking campaign for Renter Right to Repair! Renter or homeowner, when St. Paul residents see something that needs fixing, we want the tools to get it done. Sign up for an upcoming door knock with us: actionnetwork.org/forms/join-s...

Group photo of door knock volunteers holding signs that say Safe Home Saint Paul

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Safe Homes Saint Paul @safehomessaintpaul.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Mayor Kaohly Her and her city attorney are attempting for a third time to toss Renter Right to Repair off the November 3rd ballot. Right to Repair is on the ballot for November 3rd. The ballots are printed and mail ballots are being sent out September 18. www.myvillager.com/news/general...

myvillager.com

City renews appeal to keep tenants’ right-to-repair referendum off the ballot

The legal battle over a proposed referendum on a tenant’s right-to-repair in Saint Paul continues. The Saint Paul City Attorney’s office has appealed an earlier court decision that approved the

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Safe Homes Saint Paul @safehomessaintpaul.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

Former Congressperson Gil Gutknecht: "Perhaps it’s in the sky-blue water, but Minnesotans like to tinker, fix and build things. That is why the right-to-repair movement is alive and well here in the Gopher State."

Meme reading well someone has got to fix it. Socialists fed up with negligent landlords and conservatives who like tractors and dang ol freedom

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Robin for Ward 2 @robin4mpls.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

Glad to see the MN Supreme Court upheld the Right to Repair ballot initiative. Renters organized thousands of their neighbors to exercise their democratic right to hold landlords accountable for providing dignified & safe housing. St. Paul, vote YES on @safehomessaintpaul.bsky.social on Nov 3rd!

Council Member HwaJeong Kim and Council Member Robin Wonsley at the Safe Homes Saint Paul kickoff.

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🍞 Cole Hanson 🥬 @colewritesalot.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

The @cityofsaintpaul.bsky.social has appealed, seeking to overturn the ruling in favor of @safehomessaintpaul.bsky.social Mayor Her denies that she directed the City Attorney to oppose our ordinance, so who’s calling the shots inside City Hall? The people of Saint Paul already spoke up for RtR!

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Eric Hauge @erichauge.bsky.social · 11/08/2026

MN Supreme Court denies City's emergency request. Looks like the Court is basically saying the City should follow the normal appellate route—a notice of appeal to the court of appeals. drive.google.com/file/d/1DSxG...

IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that the City of Saint Paul’s emergency petition for an extraordinary writ from this court is denied. This denial is without prejudice to the City of Saint Paul seeking other available appellate relief.

Dated: August 11, 2026

BY THE COURT:
<signature>
Natalie E. Hudson
Chief Justice

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Becca Esche @beccasaintpaul.bsky.social · 10/08/2026

This the shit I like

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🍞 Cole Hanson 🥬 @colewritesalot.bsky.social · 10/08/2026

For all of our neighbors, proud to share that @safehomessaintpaul.bsky.social won and will be headed to a ballot near you! We won!

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Jesse Mortenson @jk9.bsky.social · 10/08/2026

Mayor Her really doesn’t want right to repair, damn

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Daniel Suitor @danielsuitor.com · 10/08/2026

I've been told that the City of St. Paul has appealed this decision and that the Minnesota Supreme Court will hear the case tomorrow. No appeal documents appear in either the district court or appellate court filing systems. Given the timeline of the case and ballot deadline tomorrow, not surprising

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Daniel Suitor @danielsuitor.com · 10/08/2026

Safe Home Saint Paul beat the City of St. Paul. A judge of the Ramsey County District Court has ordered that the petition for a Right to Repair ordinance be placed on the ballot for voters

ORDER
1. Pursuant to § 8.05 of the Saint Paul City Charter, Respondents shall place the Initiative
on the November 3, 2026 General Election Ballot by the statutory deadline.
2. Failure to obey this Order is contempt of court and may result in sanctions.
3. The attached memorandum is incorporated herein by reference.
UPON SEEING NO REASON FOR DELAY
LET JUDGMENT BE ENTERED ACCORDINGLY
BY THE COURT:

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Safe Homes Saint Paul @safehomessaintpaul.bsky.social · 11/08/2026

We just fought the City of Saint Paul in court to put Right to Repair back on the ballot and won…sort of. Mayor Her just asked for an emergency hearing at the Minnesota Supreme Court tomorrow to try and stop these commonsense renters protections. We’ll keep you updated with what happens!

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Safe Homes Saint Paul @safehomessaintpaul.bsky.social · 08/08/2026

"We followed the process, and the city did not," said Taylor Sibthorp, Committee Chair for Safe Homes Saint Paul. "This is a common sense measure, which is why it won in Duluth. We are pursuing legal resolution of the council's decision on behalf of all of our petitioners and signatories."

Safe Homes Saint Paul has filed suit in Ramsey County District Court (Case # 62-CV-26-5594) to compel the city of St. Paul to place Right to Repair before voters in November, after the city council declined to advance a certified petition.
"We followed the process, and the city did not," said Taylor Sibthorp, Committee Chair for Safe Homes Saint Paul. "This is a common sense measure, which is why it won in Duluth. We are pursuing legal resolution of the council's decision on behalf of all of our petitioners and signatories."
Safe Homes Saint Paul looks forward to an expeditious resolution to this matter.
In solidarity,
Safe Homes Saint Paul

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Daniel Suitor @danielsuitor.com · 07/08/2026

Fred Melo of the Pioneer Press, @frederickmelo.bsky.social, got the memo and posted it on Twitter. Here's what he posted. My opinion? It's pure hackery. Anyone who relied on this memo got snowed or was looking for permission to kill this version Right to Repair.

BACKGROUND

On July 20, 2026, residents submitted a citizen-led proposed-ordinance to the City
Clerk, which was accepted. The proposed-ordinance is what’s known as a right-to-repair
law—meaning, it would let tenants fix parts of their apartments without landlord approval or
oversight. But this proposed-ordinance goes even further than typical right-to-repair laws
and imposes harsh penalties on landlords if those tenant-repairs are not inspected in time—
even if the landlord pulls every possible lever to meet that deadline.

After review, the Saint Paul City Attorney’s Office concludes that the current version
of this proposed right-to-repair ordinance is unlawful. Specifically, the proposed-ordinance
conflicts with state law, violates the Minnesota and United States constitutions’ due-process
clauses, and is unconstitutionally void-for-vagueness. This Memo will discuss these issues in
more depth.

LEGAL ANALYSIS

A municipal ordinance will be upheld unless it is inconsistent with the Federal or
State Constitution or state statute. 57. Paul Citizens for Human Rights v. City Council, 289
N.W.2d. 402, 405 (Minn. 1979). This is because municipalities have no inherent powers and
can enact regulations only as expressly conferred by statute or implied as necessary in aid of
those powers which have expressly been conferred. State r. Kubiman, 729 N.W.2d. 577, 580
(Minn. 2007); Mangold Midwest Co. v. Willage of Richfield, 143 N.W.2d. 813, 820 (Minn 1966). In
other words, state law may limit the power of a city to act in a particular area. City of Morris r.
Sax Invs., Inc, 749 N.W'.2d. 1, 6 (Minn. 2008).

Placing an unlawful or unconstitutional amendment on the ballot is a futile gesture
that we do not require. Housing ¢» Redevelopment Auth. WV. City of Minneapolis, 198 N.W.2d. 531,
536 (Minn. 1972) (holding that a district court properly enjoined an election on a proposed

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amendment to a city charter rather than permit the administration and the voters of
Minneapolis…

amendment to a city charter rather than permit the administration and the voters of
Minneapolis to experience the frustration and expense of setting up election machinery and
going to the polls in a process which was ultimately destined to be futile).

The Court will turn to conflict preemption, because a municipality cannot enact a
local regulation that conflicts with state law or enact a regulation when state law fully
occupies a particular field of legislation. Bicking vr. City of Minneapolis, 891 N.WX’.2d. 304, 313
(Minn. 2017). A conflict exists between state law and a municipal regulation when the law
and the regulation “contain express or implied terms that are irreconcilable with each other,
when the ordinance permits what the statue forbids, or when the ordinance forbids with the
statute expressly permits. Id. (citing Mangold Midwest Co., 143 N.W’.2d. at 816; City of Duluth r.
Cerveny, 16 N.W.2d. 779, 785 (Minn. 1944).

In the recent case of I “assear v. City of Minneapolis, a group filed a petition with the City
of Minneapolis to create a city-wide minimum wage in the City Charter. 887 N.W’.2d. 467,
468 (Minn. 2016). After the petition was certified by the Minneapolis City Council as having
sufficient signatures, the Minneapolis City Attorney issued an opinion to the City Council
that the initiative was illegal because Minneapolis does not have a procedure in its charter to
allow ballot initiatives for legislanve ordinances. Id. The Council did not certify the question
for a ballot and the petitoner brought a temporary restraining order requiring the City to
place the initiative on the ballot. Jd. While the district court granted the petitioner’s motion,
the matter was appealed immediately to the Minnesota Supreme Court, which ruled that the
matter should not appear on the ballot because the city charter does not permit legislative
ordinances to be incorporated into the charter. Id.

Similarly, in Bicking v. City of Minneapolis, a petitioner submitted a ba…

In the present case, there are several provisions in the ordinance that potentially
conflict with the law or are irreconcilable with the law and Consutution. First, under Section
34A.03(a) of the ordinance, the tenant is given authority to make a required repair after a 14-
day opportunity for the landlord to complete the repair. However, the tenant lacks authority
to obtain a permit to perform many of the required repairs allowed in the proposed
ordinance. For instance, under the State Building Code,

an owner or authorized agent who intends to construct,

enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish, or change the occupancy

of a building or structure, or to erect, install, enlarge, alter,

repair, remove, convert, or replace any gas, mechanical,

electrical, plumbing system, or other equipment, the installation

of which is regulated by the code; or cause any such work to be

done, shall first make application to the building official and

obtain the required permit.
Minn. R. 1300.0120, subp. 1 (emphasis added). But the proposed right-to-repair ordinance
flouts this state-level requirement by allowing tenants to unilaterally make these changes
without these permits. This tension strikes at the heart of the rule Minnesota’s appellate
courts constantly reiterate in preemption cases, namely, that that cities cannot pass
ordinances that “‘require building code provisions regulating components or systems of any
structure that are different from any provision of the State Building Code.” Builders 155'n of
Minnesota v. City of St. Paul, 819 N.W.2d 172, 181 (Minn. App. 2012). In fact, state law
explicitly forbids cities from enacting ordinances “that are different from any provision of
the State Building Code.” Minn. Stat. § 326B.121, subd. 2(c) (2026). And the Minnesota
Supreme Court has interpreted this statute to mean that even a local ordinance “that is
merely additional and complementary to a provision in the State Building Code is
prohibited.” City of Morris r. Sax Inves…

ordinance, the repair for the code-violation must only be scheduled within 14 days, so the
ordinance both allows serious major repairs to take longer to repair, than the Building
Official deems reasonable, and may also require general maintenance to be completed in a
time that is quicker than what is reasonable, because the repair does not pose any immediate
safety hazard. The proposed ordinance is simultaneously stricter and more lenient than the
existing Building Code, which is likely an unlawful conflict between the proposed-ordinance
and state law.

Also, the 30-day time-limit for the City Building Official to conduct an inspection
under the proposed-ordinance may also violate the landlord’s due-process rights under the
State and Federal Constitution. The City has only one Building Official with many existing
duties under State Law. Given the very high number of renters living in Saint Paul, there
could potentially be thousands of annual requests for inspections under the proposed
ordinance. Under Section 34A.05(c), if the City is unable to make the inspection within 30
days, the tenant is automatically given the right to repair and withhold rent. If the Building
Official is unable to meet this arbitrary 30-day deadline, then the landlord will be deprived of
its right to collect rent, through no fault of its own. Additionally, Section 34A.09(b) of the
proposed-ordinance allows the City authority to punish a landlord with up to 90 days in jail
for a violation of the proposed-ordinance, under Saint Paul Legislative Code, Section 1.05.
As the proposed-ordinance is currently written, a landlord could be deprived of their right to
liberty, simply because the Building Official was too busy to perform an inspection within 30
days. This is another potential deprivation of freedom that could occur without the due
process of law, as required by the State and Federal Constitution.

The proposed ordinance also conflicts with another area of state law because
pursuant to Sec…

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cursedthing @cursedthing.bsky.social · 06/08/2026

I’m just disappointed

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🍞 Cole Hanson 🥬 @colewritesalot.bsky.social · 06/08/2026

Sure is disappointing to see our city, which has touted its adherence to the law In the face of federal occupation, flout its own charter thanks to bullying from @mayorher.bsky.social

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Patrick Fenelon @patrickfenelon.bsky.social · 06/08/2026

This is absolute fucking bullshit. I canvassed for this. This was good policy. And this is a RIDICULOUS reading of the law by the city council

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Daniel Suitor @danielsuitor.com · 06/08/2026

The St. Paul City Council just voted to refuse to put the Tenant's Right to Repair law on the ballot for voters, claiming it conflicts with state law even though Duluth passed a nearly identical law last year. A press release from the Safe Homes coalition which has pushed for the law:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 5, 2026
St. Paul City Council Blocks Certified Right to Repair Petition, Coalition Says City Broke Its Own Charter
Saint Paul voters collected over 8,000 signatures to put Right to Repair on the November ballot. Ramsey County Elections validated 5,440 of them against voter registrations, after duplicates and errors were accounted for, and submitted their report to council. Today the St. Paul City Council chose not to send the measure forward anyway. Safe Homes St. Paul (SHSP) considers this a breach of our city's charter and protocols that have guided ballot measures in our city for years.
The St. Paul city charter is not ambiguous on this point: section 8.03 requires the council to determine "the sufficiency of the petition" by resolution. Section 8.04 gives the council exactly two options once a petition is sufficient: enact the ordinance as written within 60 days, or place it on the ballot. There is no third option where the council simply declines because the Mayor and her attorney found a new legal theory weeks after the deadline to act. We have seen the Mayor's approach to public disclosure over the past week, and are not surprised to see the everyday residents of our city who signed our petition treated with similar dismissal. As our democracy faces unprecedented threats at a national level, it is the responsibility of our local leaders to demonstrate not just that democracy can function, but that it can deliver results for everyday people. This decision does the opposite by choosing fear of wealthy interests over the actual residents of our city.
As has been communicated to SHSP organizers, City Attorney Irene Kao's office told council members this week that Right to Repair conflicts with state law and is "too broad", even though it is nearly identical to language passed in Duluth nearly one year ago. The same office had several months to raise that argument while the campaign spent it gathering signatures. Instead it surfaced on…

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Safe Homes Saint Paul @safehomessaintpaul.bsky.social · 03/08/2026

The St. Paul City Council is voting on sending Right to Repair go to the ballot. Email your council member to vote yes! Everyone deserves the right to timely and quality repairs in their homes. actionnetwork.org/letters/tell...

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Twin Cities DSA 🌹 @twincitiesdsa.org · 22/07/2026

Twin Cities DSA is proud to announce our seven endorsed campaigns for 2026! Donate to our campaigns: tcdsa.org/2026donate Volunteer for our campaigns: tcsdsa.org/2026doorknock

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Kevin Riggle @kevinr.free-dissociation.com · 10/06/2026

Now this is a Right to Repair that I can unequivocally get behind

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Safe Homes Saint Paul @safehomessaintpaul.bsky.social · 10/06/2026

Over 7,500 signatures submitted today to put Renter Right to Repair on the November ballot in St. Paul! No one wants to get stuck badgering their landlord about a simple repair—we just want to get it fixed! Renter Right to Repair is a commonsense solution for everyone who calls St. Paul home.

Giant stack of petition signatures at St. Paul City Hall.

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Safe Homes Saint Paul @safehomessaintpaul.bsky.social · 21/04/2026

We are thrilled to announce we've endorsed by the Saint Paul Federation of Educators Local 28 (@spfelocal28.bsky.social)! Our educators are essential to making our city run, and they know first-hand the importance of families having safe, quality housing.

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Safe Homes Saint Paul @safehomessaintpaul.bsky.social · 20/04/2026

Last week, a volunteer from our campaign visited Hamline YDSA to talk about our campaign for renter right-to-repair. Many Hamline students are renting for the first time, and they deserve safe, well-maintained housing like all St. Paul residents!

Hamline YDSA meeting with students in a classroom looking at a speaker

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Safe Homes Saint Paul @safehomessaintpaul.bsky.social · 19/04/2026

We are proud to be endorsed by @twincitiesdsa.org! Our campaign was started by TCDSA members frustrated about the increased undermining of renter protections in our city. We're proud to join them in building a multi-organizaitonal coalition to improve the quality of life for renters!

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Safe Homes Saint Paul @safehomessaintpaul.bsky.social · 15/04/2026

Our campaign has been endorsed by the Metropolitan Interfaith Council on Affordable Housing (MICAH)! We're proud to join MICAH in supporting their vision to ensure everyone has a safe and decent home.

Text reading "Safe Homes Saint Paul, endorsed by MICAH, Organization Endorsement"

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Safe Homes Saint Paul @safehomessaintpaul.bsky.social · 14/04/2026

Our team has been out and about collecting signatures across Saint Paul! From Como Park to the No Kings rally, we've been talking to our neighbors about the importance of ensuring renters have timely, quality repairs for their homes.

Two people holding a paper frame that says “This is what democracy looks like” with a volunteer holding signature collection forms and flyers

Two volunteers at Como Park with signature collection forms

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Safe Homes Saint Paul @safehomessaintpaul.bsky.social · 08/04/2026

Join us for upcoming canvases with Safe Home's Saint Paul! We will be collecting petition signatures to get Renter's Right to Repair on the ballot in November. See you there! RSVP here: actionnetwork.org/forms/join-s...

Text reading "Canvas at the St. Paul Art Crawl! April 11, 2-4pm @ Virginia Street Church and April 12th, 2-4pm @ Dickerman Park. RSVPs in Bio :). Field Lead Training. Learn how to launch canvasses! April 15, 5pm @ Coliseum Building. Safe Homes Saint Paul."

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Safe Homes Saint Paul @safehomessaintpaul.bsky.social · 08/04/2026

Thank you Ward 1 Councilor Anika Bowie for your endorsement!

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Safe Homes Saint Paul @safehomessaintpaul.bsky.social · 04/04/2026

We’re proud to be endorsed by Ward 6 St. Paul City Councilor Nelsie Yang! Thank you for the support!

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Safe Homes Saint Paul @safehomessaintpaul.bsky.social · 03/04/2026

An incredible team of supporters collected 700 signatures last weekend at the No Kings rally and the senate district 65 convention. Renters and homeowners alike are excited about a Renters' Right to Repair ordinance, we just have to get out there and have the conversations!

Text reading “Safe HOMES
SAINT PAUL
700+ SIGNATURES
COLLECTED LAST WEEKEND
THIS IS WHAT
DEMOCRACY
LOOKS LIKE
JOIN OUR CANVASSING TEAM!
RSVP FOR TRAINING IN BIO”
with a picture of a volunteer holding petition sheets with others holding a frame reading “this is what democracy looks like”

Text reading “Safe HOMES
SAINT PAUL
GET TRAINED TO COLLECT SIGNATURES AND WIN
RENTERS' RIGHT TO REPAIR!
APRIL 8TH 6:30PM
HANCOCK RECREATION CENTER
1610 HUBBARD AVE, STP
APRIL 15TH 5PM
COLISEUM BUILDING
2708 E LAKE ST, MLPS”

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Safe Homes Saint Paul @safehomessaintpaul.bsky.social · 13/02/2026

Need a Valentine's Day date idea? Bring yourself (and a friend!) to our next signature collection canvas on Saturday, Feb 14th at 2pm. RSVP: actionnetwork.org/events/satur...

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Safe Homes Saint Paul @safehomessaintpaul.bsky.social · 11/02/2026

Thank you so much @hwajeongkim.bsky.social for your endorsement! Everyone deserves a safe place to live, and giving renters the right to do commonsense repairs in their own home is a tool for making all our residents safer.

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Safe Homes Saint Paul @safehomessaintpaul.bsky.social · 10/02/2026

1% of signatures collected! Thanks to everyone who came to our first canvas this weekend! With your help we will collect enough signatures to get Right to Repair on the ballot in St. Paul this fall. Everyone deserves a safe home!

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Safe Homes Saint Paul @safehomessaintpaul.bsky.social · 06/02/2026

Do you have a renter horror story? Maybe your heat went out in the dead of winter? Maybe a leaky fridge your landlord won't replace? We want to hear it! Use the form in our bio to tell us about your worst renter experiences. Together, we will win renter's right to repair!

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Safe Homes Saint Paul @safehomessaintpaul.bsky.social · 15/01/2026

We are Safe Homes Saint Paul, a volunteer-led, grassroots campaign. Our team consists of Saint Paul residents, tenants & organizers building a diverse coalition to drive meaningful change & improve the quality of renters’ everyday lives in Saint Paul. We welcome your feedback, ideas, and discussion!

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