Who We Are
As a coalition, STL Vacancy Collaborative convenes neighborhood leaders, nonprofits, academics, community development corporations, and businesses into an advisory committee and several project 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 STL Vacancy Collaborative structure includes a board of directors and project groups that coordinate closely:
Find out more about the Project Groups Here
- Board of Directors: a community-oriented committee made up of private, non-profit, and community members who represent a variety of viewpoints and expertise. The STLVC Board of Directors is made up of Project Group co-chairs and at large members.
- Cross-Sector Project Groups: groups that work on priority projects that address diverse vacancy reduction strategies.
- Staff: support the board and project groups and host quarterly STLVC-wide meetings to share updates and opportunities to collaborate.
Find out more about the Project Groups Here
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Courtesy of Chuck Ramsay and Legal Services of Eastern Missouri
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STL Vacancy Collaborative Staff
Torrey Park (she/her)
Executive Director
[email protected]
Torrey first became involved in community development and urban revitalization when she joined the grassroots organization, Metropolis St. Louis, in 1999, whose mission was to attract and retain young people to the city of St. Louis. As a leader on the steering committee, she embraced the values of developing community-centered collaboration, understanding the historical and political context of complex issues, and cultivating a “sense of place”. Since then, Torrey has been active in community-based groups and projects including re-establishing the Tower Grove South Neighborhood Association, implementing ward-level Participatory Budgeting, exploring and producing a Community Benefits Agreement, and supporting the Affordable Housing Trust Fund Coalition’s advocacy efforts to increase annual funding by the city of St. Louis. Torrey holds a B.A. in Parks, Recreation and Tourism from the University of Missouri – Columbia and a Certificate in Nonprofit Management from Washington University – St. Louis. Additionally, Torrey is proud to be a Coro Women in Leadership program alumni. Torrey believes when it comes to addressing vacancy issues, it is key to prioritize equity and systems level change. She is committed to radical listening and creating a welcoming, inclusive space that fosters greater synergy amongst all stakeholders.
Executive Director
[email protected]
Torrey first became involved in community development and urban revitalization when she joined the grassroots organization, Metropolis St. Louis, in 1999, whose mission was to attract and retain young people to the city of St. Louis. As a leader on the steering committee, she embraced the values of developing community-centered collaboration, understanding the historical and political context of complex issues, and cultivating a “sense of place”. Since then, Torrey has been active in community-based groups and projects including re-establishing the Tower Grove South Neighborhood Association, implementing ward-level Participatory Budgeting, exploring and producing a Community Benefits Agreement, and supporting the Affordable Housing Trust Fund Coalition’s advocacy efforts to increase annual funding by the city of St. Louis. Torrey holds a B.A. in Parks, Recreation and Tourism from the University of Missouri – Columbia and a Certificate in Nonprofit Management from Washington University – St. Louis. Additionally, Torrey is proud to be a Coro Women in Leadership program alumni. Torrey believes when it comes to addressing vacancy issues, it is key to prioritize equity and systems level change. She is committed to radical listening and creating a welcoming, inclusive space that fosters greater synergy amongst all stakeholders.
Zach Kassman (he/him)
Project Manager
[email protected]
Zach will be leading activities related to establishing, facilitating, and coordinating the efforts of the Vacancy Collaborative as it relates to the fulfillment of the City of St. Louis’s Community Development Administration (“CDA”) Vacancy Strategy RFP. As the Vacancy Strategy Project Manager, Zach will assist interdepartmental project teams in setting priorities, developing action plans, evaluating progress, and reporting back the City and community stakeholders.
Zach is passionate about St. Louis and has been dedicated to making St. Louis city a better place through his work in community development since 2019. Zach has an MSW from the Brown School of Social Work at Washington University in St. Louis, where he studied Social and Economic Development, macro-social work, with a particular focus on economic development in historically disinvested communities. He also holds a degree in History and American Cultural Studies from Fontbonne University.
Zach has experience working at St. Louis Development Corporation, the City of St. Louis Mayor's Office, Green City Coalition, Metropolitan St. Louis Equal Housing and Opportunity Council (EHOC), the International Institute of St. Louis, and AmeriCorps St. Louis. Most recently Zach spent the last four years working on the Prop NS Program after creating its pilot program and working with Green City Coalition on its community land trust efforts.
Zach was also a Gephardt Institute Public Service Fellow and is a Neighborhood Leadership Academy graduate (2020 Cohort). He is also a member of the Tower Grove South Neighborhood Association and has served on their Development Committee since the Summer of 2022.
He is passionate about community land trusts, equitable development across St. Louis, and playing soccer with friends. You can find Zach hosting monthly Community Ownership get-togethers (which you should ask him about if you want to know more).
Project Manager
[email protected]
Zach will be leading activities related to establishing, facilitating, and coordinating the efforts of the Vacancy Collaborative as it relates to the fulfillment of the City of St. Louis’s Community Development Administration (“CDA”) Vacancy Strategy RFP. As the Vacancy Strategy Project Manager, Zach will assist interdepartmental project teams in setting priorities, developing action plans, evaluating progress, and reporting back the City and community stakeholders.
Zach is passionate about St. Louis and has been dedicated to making St. Louis city a better place through his work in community development since 2019. Zach has an MSW from the Brown School of Social Work at Washington University in St. Louis, where he studied Social and Economic Development, macro-social work, with a particular focus on economic development in historically disinvested communities. He also holds a degree in History and American Cultural Studies from Fontbonne University.
Zach has experience working at St. Louis Development Corporation, the City of St. Louis Mayor's Office, Green City Coalition, Metropolitan St. Louis Equal Housing and Opportunity Council (EHOC), the International Institute of St. Louis, and AmeriCorps St. Louis. Most recently Zach spent the last four years working on the Prop NS Program after creating its pilot program and working with Green City Coalition on its community land trust efforts.
Zach was also a Gephardt Institute Public Service Fellow and is a Neighborhood Leadership Academy graduate (2020 Cohort). He is also a member of the Tower Grove South Neighborhood Association and has served on their Development Committee since the Summer of 2022.
He is passionate about community land trusts, equitable development across St. Louis, and playing soccer with friends. You can find Zach hosting monthly Community Ownership get-togethers (which you should ask him about if you want to know more).
Romana Mrzljak (she/her)
Communications and Engagement Manager
[email protected]
Romana is a communications professional with a knack for managing digital grassroots campaigns, creating captivating content, and driving impactful community engagement. She has experience running communications initiatives and collaborating with community members and stakeholders at NARAL Pro-Choice Missouri, JFS St. Louis, and Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri.
Passionate about her hometown, Romana loves collaborating with local partners and spearheading community outreach projects that help create a more vibrant, equitable city. In her role as Communications and Engagement Manager, she develops internal and external communications and supports community engagement efforts through events and programs.
Romana is passionate about community building, local history, all things spooky, and baking.
Communications and Engagement Manager
[email protected]
Romana is a communications professional with a knack for managing digital grassroots campaigns, creating captivating content, and driving impactful community engagement. She has experience running communications initiatives and collaborating with community members and stakeholders at NARAL Pro-Choice Missouri, JFS St. Louis, and Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri.
Passionate about her hometown, Romana loves collaborating with local partners and spearheading community outreach projects that help create a more vibrant, equitable city. In her role as Communications and Engagement Manager, she develops internal and external communications and supports community engagement efforts through events and programs.
Romana is passionate about community building, local history, all things spooky, and baking.
Board of Directors
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Peter Hoffman
Laura Ginn Aisha Muhammad Angela Drake Bob Lewis Maureen McCuen |
Crystal Avery-Morris
Dana Malkus Keith Crawford Sean Spencer Haley McKenzie-Whiteside |
Vacancy Strategy City Departments
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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 |
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:
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Covenant Blu Grand Center Neighborhood Association |
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The following individuals have signed the pledge:
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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:
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