Today the Board of Alderman passed a bill, 16 to 8, that would give homeowners facing foreclosure more opportunity to remain in their homes. The bill, sponsored by President of the Board of Alderman Lewis Reed, awaits the mayor’s signature.
“The main focus of the bill is to give residents opportunities to negotiate and to sit down with mortgage companies,” said Tom Shepard, Reed’s chief of staff.
The bill authorizes Mayor Francis G. Slay and Comptroller Darlene Green to contract with a mediation coordinator. It also requires mortgage lenders to provide homeowners with a “Notice of Right to Request Mediation,” which informs homeowners of their rights to participate in a mediation conference with the city’s mediation coordinator and the lender. Homeowners must reply within 20 days of receiving the letter.
The board also passed a bill (BB 297) that forces development projects that receive tax incentives in the City of St. Louis to follow the city’s minority workforce goals. Sponsored by Alderman Terry Kennedy, the bill requires Tax Increment Financed projects and city-bonded projects valued at $1 million or more to follow the same workforce goals, outlined in the 2009 ordinance 68412, of 25 percent minority, five percent women, 20 percent local workforce and 15 percent apprentices.
The bill comes after the mayor’s executive order, which was announced on Dec. 12 just moments before CORTEX, a $2.2 billion research-park project, presented a TIF proposal for $168 million in tax incentives to the TIF Commission. Prior to that, minority leaders called foul on the CORTEX project for not having established diversity goals.
The aldermen also voted to send the marijuana bill one step closer to becoming law. The bill (BB 275), sponsored by Shane Cohn, would make possession of small amounts of marijuana a municipal offense rather than a state offense, and the fines up to $500 would go towards the city rather than the courts.
Cohn said he met with the Circuit Attorney’s Office, prosecuting attorneys and police, who all said that such cases are a strain on their resources. They worked with Cohn to come up with ordinance in order to improve efficiency in crime prevention.
“They said, ‘Help us help you, so we can spend more time fighting other types of crime,’” said Alderwoman Marlene Davis.
The bill received a majority votes to be perfected. The board will vote on the bill at the next board meeting on April 15.