ST. LOUIS — The City of St. Louis has moved forward with vacant building stabilization and neighborhood improvements under the Prop NS program.
St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson announced the kick-off of the Prop NS program, which is designed to stabilize vacant buildings in the city and strengthen community-based neighborhood improvement efforts.
Residents and community members can nominate residential buildings for stabilization that are owned by the Land Reutilization Authority (LRA), the city’s landbank. You can nominate them by clicking here
“There are many vacant houses in our city right now that just need a little extra work and attention to make them more appealing to potential buyers looking to invest in our diverse network of neighborhoods. All at once, Prop NS helps us preserve these structures, attract new residents, fight illegal activity and blight, and reduce our maintenance costs. It’s a win-win for the community,” said Mayor Krewson.
According to a press release, the city spent more than a year and a half fighting to uphold its position that the ballot measure received the requisite vote county. The court ruled in the city’s favor.
“The Prop NS Program is a great example of the positive change that real people can make when they work together across neighborhood lines,” said Stacy Ross, a petitioner from the St. Louis Association of Community Organizations, who worked to get the proposition on the ballot. “We heard from residents throughout the City who were crying out for help with vacant buildings, an issue that had been festering for decades.”
Highlights of the Prop NS Program include:
• Funding will pay to stabilize – and sell – vacant, city-owned residential buildings
• Community residents and neighborhood groups are invited to nominate buildings for stabilization
• Ultimate goal of the program is to stabilize city neighborhoods
“This is about improving neighborhoods by offering more LRA housing stock as viable options for potential homeowners and investors,” said Comptroller Green.
The ballot measure approved by voters, as well as the follow-up ordinance approved by the Board of Aldermen, limits the Prop NS program to LRA-owned residential buildings – either single-family or multi-family buildings with no more than six units. Each single-family building will have a limit of no more than $30,000 in repairs, with the limit for multi-unit buildings set at $50,000.
