ST. LOUIS, Mo. (First Alert 4) – Decades of population loss, disinvestment and absent property owners have left thousands of buildings vacant across St. Louis, and city officials say bureaucracy has often slowed efforts to repair or demolish them. That process is starting to change.
Vacant properties have cost St. Louis taxpayers more than $16,501,428 over the last three years, according to data collected by the St. Louis Vacancy Collaborative. There are roughly 8,023 vacant buildings in the city, the organization’s data shows.
In some cases, the city has often lacked the means to hold owners accountable, and government bureaucracy has at times slowed the process for demolishing or repairing houses.
A neighbor’s frustration
Aloha Kelly lives and works next to a burned-out building, one she says has been frustrating to deal with. The building burned last December while she was home with her family…