In the wake of the May 16 tornado that tore through parts of St. Louis, the city has taken a proactive step to aid those displaced by the disaster. Launched by the City of St. Louis Recovery Office and the Community Development Administration, a new landlord inventory survey initiative seeks to bridge the gap between landlords with available rental units and affected residents searching for a place to call home. "Finding intermediate and long-term housing for impacted residents remains a top priority for the Recovery Office, and landlords play a critical role," Julian Nicks, chief recovery officer for the City of St. Louis, said in a statement.
In an effort to increase housing access and ensure safety, the city reaches out to landlords who might not be aware of the dire circumstances facing these resident. Having been stripped of their anchors by the violent winds, St. Louis's displaced residents are in urgent need of landlords willing to throw them a lifeline. The motive is dual-edge; as landlords provide the crucial help by listing their rental properties, they can also benefit by participating in resident housing assistance programs and efforts by the city to activate more vacant units.
Collaboration with community partners is key, and the city is pooling resources with organizations such as United Way, American Red Cross, and a variety of housing and social service agencies. These partners will assist in distributing the inventory of available units to ensure that the tornado survivors find stable housing, while the more permanent repairs to their homes are being addressed.
An array of partners stand beside the afflicted, ready to guide them into a more certain tomorrow, as shared in the City of St Louis' announcement. Included are the likes of St. Patrick's Center, The Salvation Army, Catholic Charities, Metro Housing Collective and more.
