Sponsor: Community Development Administration
Procurement Type: Request for Proposals  and or Qualifications

Starting Date: 01-29-2024

Summary
Due date: March 29, 2024

The City of St. Louis has roughly 24,000 vacant parcels, including 9,000 vacant buildings - Land Reutilization Authority (“LRA”) owns 8,500 vacant lots and 1,500 vacant buildings. The City has historically struggled to address the blight which represents a threat to the health and safety of residents, drains City government of valuable resources, and depresses property values.  In 2015, the City was selected by the Center for Community Progress Leadership Institute to develop best practices for tackling vacant, abandoned and other problem properties. This engagement resulted in a series of reports including, “Developing a Shared Vision and Strategies to Address Vacancy and Abandonment in the City of St. Louis” and the “St. Louis Land Bank Assessment.”

In response, there was a 2017 St. Louis Land Bank Assessment that identified concrete next steps to achieve the goals for vacancy reduction. Among other things, the City was encouraged to (a) manage vacant properties comprehensively; (b) foster clear communication and transparency to build trust; and (c) grow financial resources and solidify partnerships to help achieve the goal of vacancy reduction. Accepting these recommendations, the City is seeking support from an interdisciplinary team to implement and administer a grant program in support of stakeholders who have organized within their community to combat vacancy, slum, blight, and activate vacant lots.