About

Melvin, Maylena (5) & Naomi (3)

Melvin W. Carter III represents Ward 1 on the Saint Paul City Council. Elected in 2007, Councilmember Carter has championed legislation to tackle a diverse set of issues, including:

• forming the City’s Department of Human Rights & Equal Economic Opportunity
  
  
• requiring landlords to notify tenants of a pending foreclosure on their property
  
  
• slowing the marketing of tobacco to children by banning the sale of candy cigarettes and toy lighters
  
  
• educating restaurant employees about the dangers of food allergies

Inspired by the work of the Harlem Children's Zone to end the academic achievement gap, Councilmember Carter created the Frogtown/ Summit-University Community Investment Campus, a partnership between City, County, public school officials and community organizers which in Fall 2010 won a highly competitive federal Promise Neighborhoods Grant to continue that work on a larger scale.

Carter is an advocate for transit equity, and has fought tirelessly for local residents and business owners along the Central Corridor Light Rail Transit Line. As part of a broad community movement to ensure that the Light Rail works well for the people who need it most, Carter has worked to secure additional stations at Western, Victoria and Hamline Avenues; identified resources to support businesses during and beyond construction; and invested in maintaining affordable housing along the Corridor.

Councilmember Carter holds a Bachelor’s Degree in business administration from Florida A&M University, and a Master of Public Policy from the University of Minnesota's Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs . In his free time, Melvin enjoys spending time with his two beautiful daughters, Maylena (5) and Naomi (3).