Homeless residents and advocates in St. Louis’ Wellston Loop neighborhood are demanding that the city government open a permanent shelter on the west side this winter.
Members of the Wellston Loop Community Development Corporation and the Eco-Socialist Green Party of Eastern Missouri released a list of four demands at a news conference Wednesday aimed at improving conditions for homeless residents in the area. In addition to a permanent shelter in the neighborhood, advocates called for an immediate west-side shelter through the end of the winter.
Organizers also demanded the city establish warming centers that will remain open 24/7 from October to February and raise the threshold from 25 degrees to 40 degrees for Level 3 of its Code Blue cold weather response, which more than doubles the city’s available emergency shelter capacity overnight…