Chris Krehmeyer, CEO of the nonprofit Beyond Housing, wasn’t sure of what his future career would be when a young man – but he knew it would be based in an urban core.
Born in Staten Island, New York, Krehmeyer traveled the globe with his father, who was in the Coast Guard and his mother. His parents, native St. Louisans, moved back to the area when Krehmeyer was in the fourth grade. He was raised in University City and attended Washington University.
“I lived right across the street from U City High School, and I had friends who lived north of Olive and south of Delmar,” Krehmeyer said. “So, I was able to see how different communities operate and function…”
Krehmeyer wasn’t exactly sure of what he wanted to pursue so he took courses in business and law before taking an urban studies class that piqued his interest.
“I figured if I was going to do something for the rest of my life, I wanted it to be something I was interested in, so I got an undergraduate’s degree in urban studies,” Krehmeyer recalled.
The degree ultimately helped him land a position at Beyond Housing, a nationally recognized community development organization “dedicated to strengthening families and transforming ‘under-resourced’ communities to create a stronger, more equitable and prosperous St. Louis, once and for all,” according to its website.
Krehmeyer will be honored with the “Excellence in Community Impact” award from the St. Louis American Foundation during its 23rd Annual Salute to Excellence in Business Awards and Networking Luncheon at 11 a.m., Thursday, February 20, 2025 at The Ritz-Carlton St. Louis.
He remembered his father’s reaction after he told him about his career choice in urban planning.
“My dad asked, “What the hell is that and what kind of job are you going to get?”
While still a college student, Krehmeyer was awarded an internship in the Jeff-Vander-Lou (JVL) neighborhood in North St. Louis. There he had the privilege to work with the late Macler Shepard, a champion of neighborhood organizing. He was impressed with Shepard’s work and inspired by his mantra: “From the house comes everything.”
Confirming his father’s concern, Krehmeyer had trouble finding a job after graduating college. He gave no thought to working in the nonprofit arena, thinking he was better suited for urban planning or city management-related work.
Although he had to endure his father’s “I told you so” look for a while, Krehmeyer landed a job with the St. Louis County Housing Authority in 1986. While there he learned about the work of the Ecumenical Housing Production Corporation (renamed Beyond Housing in 1997) which served families primarily living in housing units.
Krehmeyer said he was impressed with not only how the agency served families but how it “helped them move along in the economic continuum.”
When he heard the organization was looking for a new director, he threw his hat in the ring even though he considered himself “terribly unqualified.”
But, Krehmeyer added, “I knew I had some skills that would be of value to the organization and the board gave me a chance.”
His hiring was the beginning of Beyond Housing’s evolution from scattered site rental family housing in different areas of the region to getting more into “community work” in the late 1990s before expanding into the 2-I footprint in the 2000’s.
Krehmeyer credits the idea of transforming under-resourced communities to his upbringing in University City with its artificial but very real neighborhoods segregated by streets and income levels.
“I lived right across the street from U City High School, and I had friends who lived north of Olive and south of Delmar,” Krehmeyer said. “So, I was able to see how different communities operate and function. I knew there were certain parts of the region was struggling so I became interested and fascinated with how we do a better job working within communities, having neighborhoods that work and giving families the opportunities to achieve their dreams.”
Beyond Housing works under the premise that “Thriving communities need an adequate supply of housing that people can afford, economic development to provide jobs and access to essential goods and services.”
His ongoing goals, Krehmeyer said, includes trying to create a ‘place-based’ model with a strategy that can turn communities, with a host of problems such as disinvestment, completely around. Can we change communities impacted by poverty and systemic racism; can we do that without gentrifying neighborhoods; can we listen to the voices of the people who live here to make their homes everything they want them to be; can we find the right resources, deliver the right partners to turn the place around and show this is the power of what’s possible.”
Krehmeyer responded gracefully to the news that he’ll receive the “Excellence in Community Impact” award from the St. Louis American.
“It’s an absolute honor. I’m humbled to receive such a great acknowledgement with other folks who are being recognized. It’s just a great recognition.”
Tickets for The Salute to Business Networking Reception and Awards Luncheon on February 20, 2024 may be purchased here.
Sylvester Brown Jr. is the Deaconess Foundation Community Advocacy Fellow.