Saint Louis Public Schools real estate director outlines new sales procedures, committee roles

Shamika Henry, director of real estate for Saint Louis Public Schools, gave the committee an overview of the district’s real estate program and a newly written standard operating procedure for the sale of school buildings and land.

Henry told the Real Estate Committee that the department was created to respond to changing urban and enrollment patterns and to manage a growing inventory of surplus buildings. “Saint Louis Public Schools created our real estate department to address changing urban, demographic, and educational conditions affecting our facilities and our planning,” she said.

The new procedure formalizes how the district receives offers, archives project forms and offer templates, and transitions those materials to an approved brokerage firm once one is selected. Henry said meetings will normally be held the third Monday of each month and that the director of real estate will draft proposals and agendas; the chief operating officer will review agendas with the superintendent before committee discussion and vote. For compliance and advisory support, the committee will consult the district’s chief legal officer and other administrators.

Why it matters: the district is selling properties that are surplus to instructional needs and needs a clear, repeatable process for accepting offers, tracking sales and communicating outcomes to the public.

Key details and committee questions

- The district’s standard operating procedure for real estate was updated this year, Henry said, to replace what she described as “a very loose process” for collecting revenue and handling offers. “It didn't exist, and it was a very loose process of how we collect the revenue from our sale of buildings,” she said.

- Website and public notices: Henry said the approved broker’s first tasks will include creating a public website that lists properties no longer owned by the district so the community can see what has been sold.

- Sale timeline and buyer financing: When asked how long a property remains on the market, Henry said the average timeframe from listing to purchase is about two years and that buyer financing is the most frequent cause of delay. “Almost always is financing on the buyer side. They need extensions, and they submit those to us,” she said.

- Broker selection and RFQ: Historically the district has not used a formal RFQ process for buyers; offers were handled by brokers’ own processes. Henry said the incoming broker is expected to streamline the process going forward.

- Donations and nonprofit transfers: The district has previously transferred properties to nonprofits, but Henry said there is no standing policy that automatically allows donations; any donation or transfer recommendation would need approval by the full Board of Education.

- Low-income housing component and enforcement: Henry said the district does not currently require a low-income housing share in sale contracts, but that it is commonly recommended; she told the committee that roughly 90% of buildings the district has sold include a low-income housing component. She acknowledged the district does not currently have a robust enforcement mechanism and said one of the broker’s tasks will be to ensure future sales include and track such commitments.

Votes at a glance

- Motion: Approve minutes from 03/24/2025. Mover: not specified. Second: not specified. Roll call in favor recorded as Miss Henry (yes), Miss Johnson (yes), Mister Watson (yes), Doctor Borshay (yes), Mister Morrison (yes). Mister Heights recorded an abstention. Outcome: approved.

- Motion: Move into closed session (later in the meeting). Mover: not specified. Second: not specified. Outcome: approved by roll call (see separate actions record).