St. Louis Affordable Housing Commission allocates $6.7M for housing services and developments

The Affordable Housing Commission (AHC) of St. Louis is set to continue its vital work in expanding affordable housing options, despite facing significant funding challenges. During a recent Budget and Public Employees Committee meeting, it was revealed that the commission has awarded over $150 million since its inception in 2001, with approximately $5 million allocated annually based on the budget.

In fiscal year 2025, the AHC received 94 funding applications but could only fulfill a fraction of these high-quality proposals due to limited resources. The total requests amounted to $10.7 million for grants, of which only $4.7 million was funded. For housing developments, requests reached $16.3 million, but only $2 million was allocated. This stark contrast highlights the pressing need for increased funding to meet the growing demand for affordable housing in the city.

The commission noted that 96.6% of its budget is directed towards housing services and programs, underscoring its commitment to addressing the affordable housing crisis. In the previous funding round, $4.7 million was awarded to 37 nonprofit organizations, including homeless service providers and affordable housing developers. This investment resulted in the construction of 88 mixed-income rental homes, although no proposals were received for for-sale housing.

Since 2003, the AHC has successfully created 2,728 affordable housing units in St. Louis, with a majority being rental homes. The commission's ongoing efforts aim to strengthen families and neighborhoods while improving housing stability across the city.

As the AHC continues to navigate funding limitations, the need for community support and advocacy for increased budget allocations remains critical to ensure that the demand for affordable housing is met in St. Louis.