In the wake of devastation struck by an EF3 tornado on May 16, the St. Louis Board of Aldermen has approved emergency property tax relief for homeowners whose residences were severely damaged or destroyed. KSDK reported that the Board passed Board Bill 24, adhering to Missouri's "Occupancy Law," and is set to allow for property tax discounts on a pro-rata basis. This legislative act still awaits Mayor Cara Spencer's signing to take effect.
While property owners may soon see some financial reprieve, tenants, who also bore the brunt of the storm, may have to wait longer for assistance. The approval process of a separate bill, Board Bill 23, which would expand the "Impacted Tenants' Fund" to assist renters displaced by natural disasters, was delayed due to a late amendment causing a mandatory 72-hour hold, as per FOX2now.com. Currently, the fund has a supposed amount of $100,000 with an additional $160,000 expected to be appropriated soon. However, even with these contributions, it's unclear how many will benefit, as Board of Aldermen President Megan Green stated that $260,000 would not be sufficient.
Local landlords are also seeking financial assistance for repairs. On discussing the importance of restoration, Dorenda Townsend, a property owner in Fountain Park, expressed the need to stand in the gap for their tenants, to FirstAlert4. Dwinderlin Evans echoes this sentiment, emphasizing the criticality for tenants to return to enhance the city's population post-tornado.
Citizens have been facing dire circumstances. Donna Scott, whose electrical box was destroyed, recounts sleeping in her car as the cost of repairs is too steep, especially with her upcoming second open-heart surgery. Despite Ameren restoring power to her block, Scott conveys that an electrician must finalize the repairs, which she cannot afford, as she told KSDK. Jacqueline Hines, another affected resident, isn't solely relying on aid. "Until then, we still have to keep going. I still need stuff to be moved and I’m not waiting on nobody. So if anybody needs a job, I’m hiring because I’m not sitting on this porch for the sun. It already burned me," she told FOX2now.com.
