St. Louis is launching a new way for homeowners who were affected by the May 16 tornado to get help from the city.
Mayor Cara Spencer announced the program at an event celebrating the opening of a new center to connect people to assistance.
“Any barrier that we can break down, we will work hard to break down,” Spencer said. “I want our community and our impacted residents to know that you are not alone. With the opening of this center, help is just a phone call or a visit away.”
The new Private Property Assistance Program will connect people whose homes were damaged or destroyed by the tornado to resources. The city is also opening the STLRecovers Outreach Center, where city staff and partners will help residents apply for assistance. It is located at the Urban League Women’s Business Center on Natural Bridge Avenue, a building that was also damaged by the tornado.
“What this particular location has come to mean to the community is so very important to the success of this space as well,” Spencer said. “The effort of the community coming together organically and really stepping in where our federal partners were absent in the days, weeks, months following the tornado.”
To apply for assistance, residents can go to the outreach center during business hours Monday through Saturday. The city is launching a call center that will offer the same services at 833-925-0977. And impacted residents can apply for the Private Property Assistance Program online.
Residents will need to provide documentation to receive assistance, including proof of ownership and insurance information. A full list of what’s needed to apply is available on the program website.
Residents will be able to tap into resources like debris removal, demolition, electricity connection and home repairs.
“I think it's really important to make sure that we are encouraging each and every homeowner who has withstood damage, whether they've been FEMA eligible or not, to come in and assess the damage and try to work with us to figure out what we can do to stabilize and to repair the homes in our community that we can repair,” Spencer said.
Pat Miller’s home in Fountain Park was hit by the tornado, and she is temporarily living in St. Louis County. She said she planned to use the program because insurance has not covered everything she needs to stay in her home.
“What other people see as shambles, I see as a challenge,” Miller said. “And when I look at my house, I don't see the destruction, I see the memories. I see the sacrifices my parents made to have that.”
Miller said she hasn’t yet given up on St. Louis, and she hopes rebuilding will encourage other people to come back to her neighborhood.
Correction: A previous version of this story inaccurately described the Private Property Assistance Program, which is a program that connects residents to city resources.
