Who We Are
As a coalition, Vacancy Collaborative convenes neighborhood leaders, nonprofits, academics, community development corporations, and businesses into two committees and six working groups to put our vacant properties back into productive use. These organizations work collectively toward agreed upon goals outlined in our work plan.
Structure

The Vacancy Collaborative structure includes two committees and cross sector working groups that coordinate closely:
Find out more about the Working Groups Here
- Vacancy Advisory Committee (VAC): a community-oriented committee made of up private, non-profit, and community members who represent a variety of viewpoints and expertise. The VAC provides input to VacancyStat and works on private-side responses to vacancy.
- VacancyStat: a committee made up of City agencies setting priorities for the City’s efforts to combat vacancy.
- Cross-Sector Working Groups: groups that advance priority areas and tackle specific projects related to community input and the Vacancy Collaborative’s action plans. These working groups are informed by the six priority issue areas shown below.
Find out more about the Working Groups Here
Vacancy Advisory Committee
Bob Lewis, SLU Urban Planning (Co-chair)
Sundy Whiteside, St. Louis Association of Community Organizations (SLACO) (Co-chair) Crystal Avery-Morris, Commerce Bank Patrick Brown, Ameren Keith Crawford, SLACO & Northpointe Neighborhood Association |
Angela Drake, SLACO
James Forbes, Good Life Growing Dana Malkus, SLU Law Sean Spencer, Tower Grove Neighborhoods CDC Andrew Weil, Landmarks Association |
VacancyStat City Departments
Office of the Mayor
St. Louis Development Corp. & Land Reutilization Authority Community Development Agency Information Technology Services Agency Problem Properties Unit Parks, Recreation & Forestry |
Planning & Urban Design Agency
Building Division Citizens’ Service Bureau & Office of Neighborhood Stabilization Streets Department SLMPD Trash Task Force Department of Health |
Working Group Co-Chairs
Jane DeRonne
Angela Drake Laura Ginn, St. Louis Development Corporation Na’im Gray, Custom Rehabs Stephanie Herbers, St. Louis City Senior Fund Dana Malkus, SLU Law |
Pamela McLucas, Inhabit Properties
Maureen McMillan Daniel Pate, Engaged Citizen, 8th Ward Resident, St. Louis REALTOR® and Equity Advocate Alderwoman Tina "Sweet-T" Pihl, 17th Ward, City of St. Louis Samantha Smugala, Pocket Parks Sean Thomas, St. Louis Development Corporation |
Vacancy Collaborative Pledge
Signing the Vacancy Collaborative Pledge helps us identify our network, but more importantly, it allows us to celebrate the work that organizations and individuals have put into reducing the negative impact of vacancy in St. Louis.
The following organizations have signed the pledge:
The following individuals have signed the pledge:
Anders Walker, Saint Louis University
Angela Serwin Brian Adler Brian Matthews, Cultivation Capital Candy Boyd Cara Spencer, City of St. Louis Cecilia Dvorak, Planning and Urban Design Agency Charlie Hinderliter, St. Louis REALTORS Chrissie Barfield, The Ville and Hyde Park Christie Holland Christy Fry, Southampton Neighborhood Association Dana Gray, Tower Grove Neighborhoods CDC Dave Menninger, Volunteer Web Developer |
Erica Hallman, St. Louis Roots
Fatimah Muhammed, Hyde Park Neighborhood Association James Fister, Southwest Garden Neighborhood Association John Fisher, YouthBuild John Albright, Missouri Community Service Commission Joshua Lawrence Julia Allen, Retired Social Worker Kacey Cordes Mahrt, U.S. Bank CDC + ULI St. Louis Katy Shackelford, Lochmueller Group |
Keith A. Crawford, North Pointe Neighborhood Association
Latasha Barnes, Legal Services of Eastern MO Leela Moon Leo Walker, 1978 Lorine Pattin, Hyde Park Neighborhood Marva Colvinx, Construction Management Services Marsha Nelson, GROUND$KEEPERS Mark Groth, St. Louis City Talk Michael Deeba, Urban Revitalization Strategies, LLC Nick Howlett Nikki Woelfel, Carrollton Bank Paradise Smith Peter Hoffman, Legal Services of Eastern Missouri |
Peter Taylor
Ravi Rao, Grace Hill Settlement House Richard Walter Savin Sahir Majid Sandra Jacobson Simon Nogin, HeartLands Conservancy Sophie Abo, Des Sales CDC Stephanie Co Trisha H Whelan, Lindell Bank Troy Guzman, Arcturis Yoni Blumberg |
Support
Funding to support coordination of the Vacancy Collaborative was provided, in part by: