The City of St. Louis will allocate $19.2 million, mostly from Rams settlement funds, to pay for meals, rental assistance, home repairs and nonprofit support, among other needs, in response to the May tornado that shredded 8 miles of the city, Mayor Cara Spencer said.
“We know that the need is greater than this,” Spencer said at a press conference Thursday. “But it is a major start, and it’s a good start.”
The funds will be used in the following areas, according to the mayor’s office:
- $2.5 million for resource hubs needs such as meals and supplies, including coolers, port-a-potties and dumpsters.
- $2.2 million for unmet needs such as storage of personal belongings, rental assistance and noncongregate temporary housing.
- $5 million for home repairs for uninsured and underinsured residents.
- $3.5 million for case management, mental health and legal services.
- $1 million to provide cooling through water stations and water sprinklers.
- Up to $5 million for nonprofit support, including for resource hub and distribution staffing.
The Board of Aldermen created a $30 million tornado relief fund last month, using the interest accrued from the Rams settlement: $18 million of Spencer’s request will come from that relief fund, and another $1.2 million will come from Community Development Block Grants…