Aldermen advance $30 million tornado relief fund using Rams settlement interest

St. Louis Board of Aldermen Housing, Urban Development and Zoning Committee members advanced Board Bill 31 on a fast timeline to create a Tornado Relief and Recovery Fund financed by interest on the Rams settlement, roughly $30,000,000, to support residents affected by recent storms and tornadoes.

The bill, presented by President Green, would establish the fund in the Comptroller’s Office and maintain it with the City Treasurer. The fund may accept city appropriations, private donations and other sources; interest earned would remain in the fund. The fund’s stated purpose is to fill immediate gaps for impacted residents in eligible neighborhoods listed in Exhibit A, including home repair, temporary housing, storage, help with insurance deductibles, legal aid, hazard-tree work, repairs to critical infrastructure (streets, sidewalks, lighting), support for nonprofit relief operations, matching funds for state and federal disaster grants, and FEMA-eligible relief expenses. The mayor’s office would administer the fund and provide monthly expenditure reports to the budget committee and an annual outcomes report.

Committee members adopted three amendments. Amendment 1, requested by the Comptroller’s office and approved by roll call, requires contracts expanding the fund to include a clawback provision for misuse or violation of the ordinance; the motion to adopt Amendment 1 was moved and seconded and passed with members voting aye (named: Aldermen Cone, Schweitzer, Browning, Aldrich, Sherry Clark Hubbard, President Green and Vice Chair Saulnier; the committee recorded seven ayes). Amendments 2 and 3 were subsequently accepted by the committee with no recorded objections. With amendments adopted, the committee advanced the bill for further consideration and set a community hearing Thursday evening at the Child and Family Empowerment Center and a special Board of Aldermen meeting the following week to expedite final passage and mayoral signature.

Public comment at the committee hearing stressed speed, equity and local control of funds. Speakers repeatedly urged prioritizing North St. Louis neighborhoods and directing money to grassroots organizations and residents rather than large nonprofits. Joe Park, a resident, implored the committee: “Don't take too long to get these people off the street,” and urged close oversight of groups awarded funds. Christopher Gladney, president of the Northside Independent Neighborhood Association, urged allocation to smaller nonprofits and residents, saying the $30 million “is not enough” and urging consideration of the full Rams funds. Other commenters requested rapid verification and streamlined eligibility to avoid delays as weather further damages partially repaired properties.

President Green and members said the bill is intended to be flexible so the mayor’s office can respond in real time while prioritizing the hardest-hit areas. Green described the measure as “a start, not the end” and said the city will coordinate with FEMA, state and philanthropic resources as those funding streams become clear. She said the administration may issue rolling RFPs to nonprofit partners and that some services (for example, help meeting insurance deductibles) may be delivered directly by city departments such as Department of Human Services.

Next steps: the committee will hold a public hearing in an impacted neighborhood Thursday evening, plan to vote the ordinance to the board on Friday, and call a special meeting of the Board of Aldermen to finalize the bill and deliver funds to the mayor for implementation. The mayor’s office will produce monthly reports on expenditures and an annual outcomes report to the budget committee.