A St. Louis program designed to help displaced tenants has accepted no applications since its inception in 2024, despite hopes it would also help with tornado recovery.
The Board of Aldermen originally approved spending for the Impacted Tenants Fund through American Rescue Plan Act money in 2023. It sought to provide financial aid to tenants who have been displaced from their homes.
But during a budget committee meeting Wednesday, officials with the city’s Human Services Department said legal hurdles have stalled the program. A spokesperson with the department later confirmed the program has yet to take any applications.
“It’s been a year and a half since we passed the impacted tenants’ funds; it's been six months since the tornado,” said Ward 9 Alderman Michael Browning, who asked about the program’s status. “My chief concern is that these people get the funds they need.”
Approved applicants would be eligible for a month of federal fair market rent to help cover up-front expenses like a security deposit or first month’s rent at a new building.
In June, the board approved an expansion that allowed people affected by the May 16 tornado to also receive aid. Officials originally expected it to help about 200 people.
Adam Pearson, the city’s director of human services, said the department plans to begin accepting applications for aid in two weeks.
“There was a delay in getting it off the ground,” Pearson said. “There are certainly a lot of moving pieces with this and other programs.”
Previously, city officials pointed to legal hurdles as a reason for the program’s delayed start. Pearson said there was also some confusion on where the program could draw its funds. He said he took “full responsibility” for its delayed start.
“We have committed as a team to making sure we can roll out this first tranche of $160,000 operationally to the community for people to apply for the impacted tenants’ funds,” he said.
A trio of bills are being pushed that would inject nearly $14 million into housing aid and winter shelter programs ahead of colder weather. Alderman Rasheen Aldridge’s bills include adding $1 million in accrued Rams’ settlement money into the Impacted Tenant Fund.
Aldridge said the impacted tenant fund, as well as the right to counsel fund that was created around the same time, have had rocky starts.
“They haven't been properly funded or properly set up,” Aldridge said.
