St. Louis is making $2.5 million available to turn vacant apartments into homes for families displaced by the spring tornado, officials said last week.
Through the new Tornado Recovery Vacant Unit Turns program, nonprofit developers and community development corporations can apply for grants to cover repairs and updates to empty rental units.
Funded with Rams Settlement dollars, the initiative will provide up to $10,000 per unit to ensure families have safe housing before the end of 2025. The application deadline is Oct. 31 at 4 p.m., or until all funds are obligated.
“The May 16 tornado left thousands of St. Louis families without safe, stable housing,” Mayor Cara Spencer said. “This program puts our resources to work, turning vacant units into homes for families who need them most. By working with community partners and developers, we can ensure recovery dollars translate directly into housing security and stability for residents.”
Applications opened Sep. 26 and will be reviewed on a rolling basis until funds are exhausted. Officials emphasized the importance of early submissions to meet the Dec. 31 deadline for occupancy.
The tornado damaged more than 10,000 homes and buildings.
“The damage from the tornado is overwhelming,” said Tom Nagel, a spokesman for the city’s Community Development Administration (CDA). Some of the vacant units may need repairs ranging from plumbing to HVAC systems to new windows, he said. “This is the quickest way to get available housing to those impacted by the tornado quickly.”
Nagel said the grant funds are targeted toward community development corporations, nonprofit landlords and home builders because they have a track record of building quality housing and using the funds quickly and effectively.
CDA Executive Director Nahuel Fefer said the initiative builds on a pilot program launched last year to address the cycle of vacancies and deferred maintenance in rental properties. Since 2020, CDA has helped fund more than 3,500 affordable housing units citywide with over $100 million in awards.
“Many of our community development partners are caught in a vicious cycle: Empty units mean less income, deferred maintenance and more vacancies,” Fefer said. “In the wake of the tornado, the need is greater than ever, so we’re scaling the program with Rams funds in order to house displaced families while stabilizing distressed portfolios.”
Funding is open to nonprofit developers, community development corporations, and public entities that own rental portfolios. For-profit landlords are not eligible. Properties must be within the city limits and leased exclusively to families displaced by the tornado, working in partnership with case management agencies.
Linda Nguyen, executive director of the Community Builders Network, said the initiative will give families a place to call home within months rather than years. Because the program focuses on non-structural, minor repairs, many vacant properties could be ready by winter.
“It’s a good start to address immediate housing,” Nguyen said. “A lot of our nonprofits already own some of these houses, but they don’t have the funds to address the needs.”
Nguyen estimates the program could bring 200 to 300 two- and three-bedroom units back online. Still, she noted, the city ultimately will need hundreds of millions of dollars to fully tackle its broader vacancy challenges and ensure long-term recovery for families affected by the storm.
A public hearing and informational workshop will be held on Oct. 7, from 10 a.m. to noon, and applications will be accepted through CDA’s grants portal.