St. Louis invests $26 Million into affordable housing

Housing is at the root of so many problems. From homelessness to building long-term and generational wealth and prosperity: the ability to acquire and hold affordable housing is so crucial to economic success and justice. 

Once-thriving neighborhoods across St. Louis have fallen on hard times. I saw first-hand how my grandparents' neighborhood underwent that change. In many cases, this was no accident: redlining, racist home-ownership policies, and decades of intentional disinvestment have deepened the Delmar Divide and made neighborhoods on both sides of it less prosperous and less safe. Recognizing and reversing these historic wrongs is not just a moral necessity; it is a practical one.

That’s why my administration has directed a major infusion of funding to address the housing crisis. Over $26 million was invested in October to create affordable housing opportunities, provide necessary social services, and improve infrastructure throughout the city. 

A detailed list of funding priorities can be found on the City’s website. Some highlights include:

• Bringing hundreds of public housing units back into service for city families with $2 million in renovations

• $13.7 million for affordable and permanent supportive housing to reduce homelessness and increase housing stability

• $1.6 million in Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) funds and $3.1 million in Housing Opportunities for Persons with Aids (HOPWA) funds administered by the City’s Department of Health. Last year, these funds helped serve more than 2,500 individuals through partners including Gateway 180, Peter and Paul, St. Martha’s Hall, Covenant House and Doorways.

We are making unprecedented investments into the St. Louis community to ensure that anyone who wants to call this great city home can secure affordable housing. This has been a priority since Day 1, when I pledged during the campaign to protect the unhoused and work for more reliable support services for unhoused folks and address the dynamics that make housing unaffordable for too many people who need it.

Building a more equitable St. Louis starts with investing directly in people and communities—particularly our most marginalized. This is no easy task, but we are dedicated to increasing housing affordability and stability for every resident of our city. 

Mayor Tishaura O. Jones