Cathy Connors, executive director of Gateway 180 and chair of the Saint Louis City Continuum of Care, told the St. Louis Board of Aldermen on Oct. 10 that the city must prepare now for winter and possible federal funding reductions to protect people experiencing homelessness.

Connors said the community counted 1,637 people experiencing homelessness in the city during the 2025 point-in-time count, including 387 people sleeping unsheltered and 229 young children. She said the community has 440 year-round shelter beds, and that 550 individuals seeking shelter in August were turned away because of lack of capacity. Connors also reported 2,035 permanent supportive housing beds currently in use and said the family shelter is rehousing about 23 individuals per month.

Connors warned of multiple pressures as cold weather approaches: she said about 1,005 victims of the May tornado will be seeking shelter this winter, and that a federal or administrative cap limiting how much of HUD Continuum of Care (CoC) funding can be used for permanent supportive housing — cited in the remarks as “a looming government cap of 30%” — could create a funding gap. Connors said that cap could translate into a potential reduction of about $6,400,000 in HUD CoC funding dedicated to permanent supportive housing in St. Louis and a loss of roughly 478 permanent supportive housing beds (as described in her remarks).

Connors also said the transcript of her remarks indicated there was no HUD Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) announced at the time she spoke, and that the combination of winter weather, lingering tornado impacts and uncertain federal funding increases the urgency to act.

She urged aldermen, service providers and members of the Continuum of Care to “advocate for our HUD funding based on our community needs and data, and ... formalize or codify a winter plan to protect the most vulnerable in our community.”

The presentation was given as an opening reflection in observation of World Homelessness Day and included the request that local leaders coordinate advocacy and planning to sustain shelter and rehousing programs through the winter.

Connors’ figures and funding estimates were delivered orally at the meeting. The board did not take a formal vote tied to the presentation during the Oct. 10 session.