Caucus Surveyed St. Paul Residents on Data Centers
The Domestic Policy Caucus is canvassing door-to-door to gauge voter sentiment regarding local rent control and development.
Updated on Oct. 12, 2026 in Data Centers
Live Poll
Do you support the repeal of rent control ordinances to potentially lower homeowner property taxes?
The Domestic Policy Caucus has begun distributing door hangers across St. Paul to survey residents on their stances regarding rent control repeal and potential downtown data center construction. The organization aims to use voter feedback gathered through these materials to identify prospective candidates for future local elections.
Why it matters
This outreach highlights growing tensions in St. Paul over urban development strategies, as local leaders weigh the economic impact of data centers against existing housing policies. The survey efforts follow a period of stagnant permit growth and significant downtown office vacancies.
St. Paul currently reports a 37 percent vacancy rate for downtown office spaces. New residential construction has slowed, with 357 housing units permitted in 2025, down from 404 in 2024.
The players
Domestic Policy Caucus
This is an organization that is currently conducting door-to-door voter outreach to influence local policy in St. Paul.
HwaJeong Kim
She is a member of the St. Paul City Council who has advocated for a moratorium on data center construction.
The details
The Domestic Policy Caucus is directing residents to WakeUpSaintPaul.org to complete a survey that links housing policy discussions to infrastructure development. St. Paul City Council members previously held policy discussions regarding data centers during the summer, including a proposed moratorium from Council Member HwaJeong Kim.
Timeline
November 2021: St. Paul voters approved a rent stabilization ordinance.
2022: Typical home property taxes were assessed at $3,500.
2024: The city issued 404 new housing permits.
2025: The city issued 357 new housing permits.
2028: The next mayoral or city council election will occur.
The Tech Race
The push for data centers in St. Paul mirrors a broader trend of repurposing vacant urban office space into critical digital infrastructure. This shift follows regional examples, such as a $130 million proposed data center project in Minneapolis, as cities compete to modernize local economies.
Homeowners in St. Paul are navigating a 36 percent four-year property tax increase, with assessments rising from $3,500 in 2022 to $4,780 in 2026. Residents should monitor these survey outcomes as they could influence future ballot measures concerning local taxes and zoning.
The takeaway
The intersection of rent control policy and industrial zoning is shaping the upcoming political discourse in St. Paul. Residents should track the proposed data center developments to understand potential impacts on their local property taxes and housing availability.
Further reading
For additional context on local development projects, read more at Saint Paul Data Centers.
More information
To review the full range of policy issues being polled, visit the St. Paul policy survey.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Twin Cities.
Live Poll
Do you support the repeal of rent control ordinances to potentially lower homeowner property taxes?
