ST. LOUIS — Courts reopen Tuesday in St. Louis and St. Louis County. But that is bringing fears that families who can’t afford to pay rent right now will be evicted.
The STL Housing Defense Collective will bring attention to the issue Tuesday with a rally. The collective exists to protect St. Louisans from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic from further housing insecurity, impending evictions and utility shutoffs.
Rally organizers said there are several points they want to hit home with local leaders before families lose theirs. They released the following demands:
- 120 day extension for a moratorium on evictions and utility shutoffs
- No CARES Act funding is allocated to policing or corrections
- City of St. Louis shall not conduct any further displacement of encampments or settlements of the unhoused
- City of St. Louis will spend CARES Act funding to create a rental assistance fund for families in St. Louis with school aged children
- City of St. Louis will spend CARES Act funding to create a legal defense fund for St. Louisans facing evictions and institute a mandatory mediation process for tenants and landlords.
The STL Housing Defense Collective will be joined by several other nonprofits to lead the rally. It starts at 12:30 p.m. at Poelker Park, which is across from St. Louis City Hall at Market and Tucker.
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