Vacant and abandoned properties in St. Louis create challenges such as public health and safety risks, high city maintenance costs, declining property values, and population loss. To address these issues, the St. Louis Vacancy Collaborative (STLVC) has partnered with City of St. Louis staff and leaders, establishing working relationships and supporting innovative policies and programs that have already made notable progress.
The VSI takes a holistic approach, incorporating diverse perspectives to tackle the complex and multifaceted nature of vacancy—recognizing that it requires input from multiple groups and organizations to find effective solutions. The VSI will create an action plan that transforms vacant properties from neighborhood burdens into revitalization assets, prioritizing collaboration across City departments to strategically deploy resources for prevention, maintenance, stabilization, beautification, and reuse.
The VSI takes a holistic approach, incorporating diverse perspectives to tackle the complex and multifaceted nature of vacancy—recognizing that it requires input from multiple groups and organizations to find effective solutions. The VSI will create an action plan that transforms vacant properties from neighborhood burdens into revitalization assets, prioritizing collaboration across City departments to strategically deploy resources for prevention, maintenance, stabilization, beautification, and reuse.
VSI Partners
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. They convene committees and working groups to facilitate systemic change, advance new policies, share success stories, and support neighborhood-centric solutions.
The Community Development Administration (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.
The St. Louis Regional Data Alliance’s (RDA) mission is to build shared data infrastructure and support strong data actors that use quality data to improve people’s lives. The St. Louis Regional Data Alliance is housed at the University of Missouri-St. Louis’ Community Innovation and Action Center (CIAC).
The St. Louis Development Corporation (SLDC) is the independent economic development agency serving the City of St. Louis. Missouri. It is an action-oriented organization that exists to empower, develop and transform St. Louis through a vibrant, just and growing economy where all people can thrive.
The Land Reutilization Authority (LRA) is the land bank for the City of St. Louis. The LRA has the authority to manage, maintain, market, and sell agency-owned vacant and abandoned buildings and property in the City of St. Louis. They recently adopted new sales policies to enhance economic empowerment, equitable and inclusive development, and neighborhood transformation in conjunction with the Economic Justice Action Plan.
The mission of the City of St. Louis’ Planning and Urban Design Agency (PDA) is to focus on planning for the future of the City of St. Louis through effective measures of planning, design review, construction plan approval, code compliance, and housing assistance.
The Community Builders Network of Metro St. Louis (CBN) supports, connects, and celebrates organizations working to champion St. Louis region communities, especially those most impacted by systemic disinvestment. CBN serves as fiscal sponsor for the STL Vacancy Collaborative.
The Vacancy Strategy Initiative (VSI) is funded by the City of St. Louis – Community Development Administration (CDA) from the City’s 2017 Economic Development Sales Tax. This tax is intended to help fund the North/South Metrolink, workforce development, public safety, infrastructure, and, critically, neighborhood revitalization. The Vacancy Strategy Initiative will help determine how future Economic Development Sales Tax dollars are spent in this pursuit.