Mayor Spencer Signs Board Bills Appropriating $13.7M to Tornado-Resident Housing and Winter Shelter

Today, Mayor Cara Spencer signed three bills passed by the Board of Aldermen to infuse more than $13 million to grow the City’s efforts to provide tornado-impacted resident housing and city-wide winter shelter.

Working closely with the Board of Aldermen, the Mayor’s Office has led the effort to write the three bills that appropriate a combined $13.71 million to significantly scale up the City’s efforts to house and shelter residents this winter. Two weeks ago, the Mayor’s Office and the Board of Aldermen announced that these bills would be filed and moved through the legislative process at a rapid pace. Living up to the promise, the Board of Aldermen passed Board Bills 93, 94 and 95 earlier today.

“This weekend marks six months since the biggest disaster to hit our community in generations killed five and changed thousands of St. Louisans’ lives,” said Mayor Spencer. “My top priority for the coming months is to ensure that all St. Louisans, whether they were experiencing homelessness before the tornado or had their homes damaged or destroyed in the tornado, get safely through this winter. The significant funding made available by these bills will help us do that, and I’m very grateful to the Board of Aldermen for passing this quickly.”

“I'm glad that we were able to get these bills out the door as quickly as we did. Temperatures are already dropping, so it's critical that we get funds in the hands of providers as soon as possible,” said President of the Board of Aldermen Megan Green. 

Board Bill 93, sponsored by Alderman Rasheen Aldridge, increases the funding amount in the Impacted Tenants’ Fund by $1 million in accrued Rams interest to strengthen the ability of displaced residents to relocate to safe shelter.

"The Impacted Tenants’ Fund is needed now more than ever, and with growing urgency as we get deeper and deeper into winter. I am thankful for the mayor and her team, the president and her team, and the numerous staff across the City who have helped fast-track this legislation. It is our job to safeguard the public, and this bill will help by ensuring that those who need to move into a safe living condition, but can’t, have the resources to do so,” said Alderman Aldridge.

Board Bill 94, sponsored by Alderwoman Alisha Sonnier, appropriates $3.36 million in accrued Rams interest for winter shelters. Eligible uses include the rapid activation and operation of additional winter shelter facilities, extended hours at existing shelters, procurement of necessary supplies and services at new and existing shelters, transportation to shelter and outreach efforts to connect unhoused residents to safe indoor spaces.

Board Bill 95, sponsored by Alderwoman Shameem Clark Hubbard, taps $9.35 million in one-time fiscal year 2025 budget surplus for tornado-resident housing. Eligible uses include winter shelters, home repair, deposit and rental assistance, housing production and other critical rehousing services to those whose homes were severely damaged by the tornado.