The makeup of the St. Paul City Council will see historic changes when the new council is sworn in this January.

All seven council members are women. All of them are under the age of 40. Six of them are people of color. And it’s considered one of the most progressive councils the city has ever seen.

St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter told 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS he thinks the upcoming months will be a chance to work together toward positive and progressive change in the city.

“I think it will be really helpful to have folks in this building and space doing the work with us who have very little allegiance to the way things have sort of always been done around City Hall,” said Carter. 

Several city council members have already publicly stated they are looking at ways to strengthen the city’s current rent stabilization ordinance which caps most rent increases at 3% and provides a 20-year exemption for new residential construction.

Mayor Carter told KSTP he likes the ordinance as it is written right now.

“I haven’t seen any proposed changes, so I don’t want to get too far out front and react to hypotheticals. Obviously, an exemption for new home construction is something that I have supported,” said Carter. “Frankly, you know, I would support making it and extending it even further beyond 20 years.”

Carter said the new group of City Council members will mesh well with his administration.

“The thing our administration is going to have to do is be willing to work with people who are bringing fresh energy and fresh ideas to City Hall,” said Carter. “And let me tell you, if we’re not ready to do that, then maybe I am the problem and not them.”