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Board Bill 31 creates Tornado Relief and Recovery Fund, passes committee with clawback and fast‑track amendments
Summary
The Housing, Urban Development and Zoning Committee voted to advance Board Bill 31, which would place roughly $30 million in interest from the Rams settlement into a Tornado Relief and Recovery Fund. The bill passed with governance and eligibility amendments; sponsors and public commenters urged further funding for North and West St. Louis.
President Green opened the committee hearing on Board Bill 31, telling members the bill would direct interest earned on the Rams settlement to a new Tornado Relief and Recovery Fund to support residents recovering from the May 16 storm. The ordinance as presented directs the Comptroller to establish the fund, allows the fund to accept public and private contributions, and assigns administration to the mayor's office with monthly reporting to the Board's budget committee.
The bill covers immediate needs including home repair, temporary housing, storage for displaced residents and belongings, assistance with insurance deductibles and legal aid, repairs to critical infrastructure (streets, sidewalks, lighting), hazardous tree removal, nonprofit staffing and shelter operations, and matching funds for state and federal disaster grants. President Green said the city has "a little over $30,000,000 in interest that has been generated" and described the funding as "a start, not the end." She said the fund is designed to be flexible so the mayor's office can respond as state and federal resources become clearer.
The committee adopted three amendments before voting the bill out of committee. Amendment 1, proposed by the Comptroller's office and added by the sponsor, requires that all contracts related to the fund include a clawback provision allowing recovery of dispersed funds in the event of misuse; the amendment was moved on the record and passed on a roll call with seven aye votes. Two additional amendments were accepted as friendly amendments to (a) align the ordinance's language with state and federal emergency declarations (explicitly naming tornado, straight-line winds and flooding) and (b) fast‑track verification and aid eligibility with prioritization for areas listed in Exhibit A while not excluding affected residents outside that list. Committee members said those changes were intended to keep the fund both targeted and flexible.
Public testimony during the committee hearing emphasized urgency and broader demands for funding. Resident Jo Park urged the board: "Don't take too long to get these people off the street" and asked officials to watch who receives money. Resident Justina Kramer described worsening damage after post‑tornado storms and warned that tarps and temporary fixes are failing. Christopher Gladney, president of the Northside Independent Neighborhood Association, told the committee the black community on the North Side "took the biggest hit" and urged that the Rams interest be only the start of larger allocations; Gladney said he has seen estimates of up to $1.6 billion–$2.0 billion in North Side damages. Other speakers — including community organizations and business owners — asked the city to prioritize residents, shield against predatory contractors, and guard against displacement by developers during recovery.
On administration and implementation, President Green described plans to issue rolling RFPs so nonprofits and other organizations can receive funds quickly, and said some functions (for example, providing deductible assistance) may be completed directly by city departments such as the Department of Human Services. Several committee members emphasized the need for guardrails to prevent displacement and predatory redevelopment as rebuilding begins.
Committee action: the committee voted to adopt Amendment 1 (clawback language) by roll call (recorded as seven ayes), accepted Amendment 2 and Amendment 3 (language to mirror federal/state declarations and to fast‑track eligibility/prioritization) by voice vote with previous‑roll calls noted, and then voted to advance Board Bill 31 as amended. Sponsors and members set an expedited timeline: a community hearing scheduled for Thursday at 5:30 p.m. at the Child and Family Empowerment Center (4145 Kennerly Ave., 63113), final amendments and a committee vote that evening, followed by a full board second reading and a special Board meeting the next Tuesday to enact the ordinance quickly.
Why this matters: Committee members and public speakers framed the bill as an urgent, short‑term mechanism to get funds to residents in damaged neighborhoods while acknowledging that $30 million is insufficient for full recovery. Public commenters repeatedly asked the board to prioritize resident‑led organizations, guard against contractor fraud and displacement, and to seek additional state, federal and philanthropic resources.
Next steps: The committee moved the bill to a Thursday public hearing in the impacted area and signaled a fast legislative schedule to get the ordinance to the mayor for execution once the Board completes the formal readings.
