Vacancy Strategy Initiative Convening to Unveil New Data and Recommendations to Tackle Vacancy in St. Louis

After two years of intensive collaboration, the City of St. Louis and theSTL Vacancy Collaborative (STLVC) invite everyone to attend the final Vacancy Strategy Initiative (VSI) Quarterly Convening on Wednesday, May 7, from 5:00 to 8:00 PM at the Deaconess Foundation (1000 N. Vandeventer Ave.). The “VSI Quarterly Convening: The State of Vacancy in St. Louis City” free event will offer a first look at the upcoming Vacancy Strategy Initiative Report, featuring new data and trends on vacancy rates in the City, and new strategies for preventing, stabilizing, and reusing vacant properties citywide.

The VSI brought together over a dozen City of St. Louis departments, and hundreds of community members—who participated in eight public outreach events—to create a coordinated, data-driven plan to reduce vacancy and strengthen neighborhoods.

Vacancy remains one of the most urgent and visible challenges in the City of St. Louis. Today, there are over24,000 vacant and abandoned parcels, including more than 9,000 vacant buildings and 15,000 vacant lots. Of the vacant buildings, 1,198 are owned by the City’s Land Reutilization Authority (LRA), while 7,840 are privately owned. These properties not only strain public services—they also drive down surrounding property values, reduce tax revenue, and destabilize neighborhoods. The VSI has compiled data to calculate the total cost of vacancy—not just to taxpayers, but to the long-term health and equity of the city—and to develop a coordinated, community-informed strategy for reinvestment.

"Bringing together community voices, City departments, and experts in data analysis is imperative to creating an actionable roadmap to tackling vacancy,” said Mayor Cara Spencer. “Doing so reflects a shared commitment to transparency, informed decision-making, and targeted deployment of limited resources. I am proud that our team will be able to put new tools, real-time data, and community insight into action as we work to turn vacancy into opportunity across St. Louis.”

The May 7 convening will showcase major highlights from the upcoming report, including:

• Cost of Vacancy Analysis – The financial impact of vacant properties on City residents, services, and loss of potential tax revenue 
• Data Tools and Analysis – Maps and dashboards developed by the STLVC and VSI to support data-driven decision making and public transparency
• Recommendations – A comprehensive strategy for reducing the number of vacant properties, decreasing negative impacts to city residents and increasing investment

"The Vacancy Strategy Initiative and forthcoming report and recommendations represent a major milestone in the STL Vacancy Collaborative’s mission to develop community-centered solutions to address vacancy in St. Louis,” said Torrey Park, Executive Director of the STLVC. “It reflects both progress made through this two-year partnership and the groundwork laid since the STLVC’s inception—leading a coalition of volunteers with a strong foundation in transparency, accountability, sound policymaking, and tools and resources designed for empowering residents. This report is more than a summary—it’s a launchpad for the next phase of coordinated action."

“This work is only possible when we do it together,” said Nahuel Fefer, CDA Executive Director. “The Vacancy Strategy Initiative shows how sustained collaboration between government, data experts, and residents can build the foundation for meaningful change.”

Event Details

• VSI Quarterly Convening: The State of Vacancy and the Path Forward
• Time: Wednesday, May 7, 2025, from 5 to 8 PM 
• Location: Deaconess Foundation, 1000 N. Vandeventer Ave., St. Louis, MO 63113
• Free and open to the public. 
• RSVP at https://bit.ly/stlvcstateofvacancy 
• Event details: https://www.stlouis-mo.gov/events/eventdetails.cfm?Event_ID=50424 

About the Community Development Administration (CDA): The CDA serves as the City of St. Louis' hub for federal, state, and local funds, implementing the Mayor's economic justice agenda. By funding public and nonprofit entities, the CDA supports a wide range of initiatives, including public services, affordable housing development, blight eradication, and other community development activities. www.stlouis-mo.gov/cda/

About the STL Vacancy Collaborative: The STL Vacancy Collaborative (STLVC) is a coalition of community members, private and non-profit stakeholders, and City agencies committed to reducing vacant property in St. Louis. The STLVC helps to coordinate existing vacancy efforts under one umbrella and empowers the public and private sectors to work together toward solutions. We convene committees and working groups to facilitate systemic change, advance new policies, share success stories, and support neighborhood-centric solutions. www.stlvacancy.com