One of the city’s oldest and most historic public housing developments will soon be reborn and redeveloped into a model community which will include 350 new mixed-income apartments and affordable homes.
Construction is set to begin on the new Clinton-Peabody public housing community after The Missouri Housing Development Commission (MHDC) recently awarded nonprofit Preservation of Affordable Housing (POAH) $3.5M in tax credits.
It includes a combination of federal and state Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) and of Missouri Affordable Housing Assistance Program tax credits.
Promised before the change in administration, the federal government has pledged $3 million in funding for the development, which was constructed in 1943 and is showing its age.
The first phase of the Clinton-Peabody Redevelopment is in partnership with St. Louis Housing Authority (SLHA), Clinton-Peabody residents, and the Clinton-Peabody Tenant Advisory Board.
In November 2022, the St. Louis Housing Authority joined with residents and community stakeholders in selection of Chicago-based POAH to lead the resident-centered redevelopment, which will also feature a reconfigured street grid, renovated Al Chappelle Community Center and new central park.
Importantly, this is not a gentrification project, according to stakeholders.
Current Clinton-Peabody residents will have the opportunity for new housing in the redeveloped community. Temporary onsite transfers of residents began in 2023, as preparation for the redevelopment began.
“After 56 years living at Clinton-Peabody, it’s more than a home to me,” said Pamela Emrick, a Clinton-Peabody resident and Clinton-Peabody Tenant Advisory Board president.
“To others it may just be public housing, but it’s more than that, because we all became a family.”
“SLHA is thrilled about the redevelopment, which will meet the modern needs of our families while honoring Clinton-Peabody’s legacy as a cornerstone of the community,” said SLHA Executive Director Latasha Barnes.
“This historic neighborhood has been home to many of St. Louis’s most accomplished residents, and we look forward to a bright future as we work alongside our residents and partners to further strengthen this legacy.”
MHDC’s 2025 funding award includes:
- $1,470,000 in federal 9% LIHTCs
- $1,029,000 in state 9% LIHTCs (State LIHTC Accelerated Redemption Pilot Program)
- $3,000,000 in National Housing Trust Funds
- $1,000,000 in state Affordable Housing Assistance Program tax credits
According to the SLHA and partners, the total development cost for Clinton-Peabody Redevelopment – Phase 1 is approximately $32 million.
The new development will have 89 multi-family housing apartments with a mix of one-, two-, and three-bedrooms serving households with a range of incomes.
These households primarily will have families below 60% of the area median income. Future phases will include 259 mixed-income apartments in a mix of garden-style and townhome buildings, creating a diverse array of housing options.
Although existing housing will be preserved, all apartments will be new with access to community amenities and designed with best practices in “sustainability, trauma-informed care and universal design” by St. Louis-based design firm Trivers.
POAH’s property management company, POAH Communities, will manage the properties and work with residents and local partners to provide financial education, youth and senior programs, health, housing stability and homeownership readiness.
Clinton-Peabody’s location makes it desirable because of its proximity to major employers, service providers including the headquarters of Ameren and Purina.
Reinvestment plans are also in the works for neighboring Gateway South, King Louis Square, Old Frenchtown, the Brickline Greenway and a planned Metrolink expansion.
Thedevelopment partners include: POAH; SLHA; Clinton-Peabody residents; Clinton-Peabody Tenant Advisory Board; Trivers; Roanoke Construction; David Mason & Associates; Custom Engineering, Inc.; Central Energy Audits; Arbolope; Key Strategic Group; Unicorn Group; and Lamar Johnson Collaborative.
Heartland Black Chamber of Commerce, Prosperity Connection, Employment Connection, St. Louis Small Business Empowerment Center and other service and economic empowerment partners will be engaged in a service plan focused on helping residents maintain housing stability and access new opportunities to achieve their goals for success, according to an SLHA release.