ST. LOUIS — The St. Louis Development Corporation has committed $100,000 to legal services for the purpose of launching a vacant property initiative.
The city will fund an attorney position at Legal Services of Eastern Missouri to help fight vacancy.
“The end goal of the program is to increase the productive use of these vacant properties, to create some housing and generate some new tax revenues for the city,” John Parker, director of corporate communications and media for the St. Louis Development Corporation, told the St. Louis Record. “We have a truckload of problems that are associated with vacant properties, so we're trying to reduce those problems.”
Legal Services of Eastern Missouri is a non-profit organization that provides civil legal assistance and equal access to justice for low-income people and the elderly in Eastern Missouri.
“Legal Services [of] Eastern Missouri assists with neighborhood groups and the residents to help them address the problems of the properties and their owners,” Parker said.
In working with the city, the organization aims to revive abandoned properties and to make it easier to transfer real estate ownership.
The new attorney will collaborate with community development corporations and neighborhood associations, helping neighborhoods address issues with properties and prepare them for use.
Although critics say the money should be used for other projects, Parker said reviving vacant properties should be a priority.
“We spend funds on critical issues facing the city of St. Louis and to fight against vacancy is one of the top priorities,” he said.
Parker said the property issue is a major detriment to neighborhood redevelopment.
“The issue of vacant properties negatively impacts the quality of life,” he said. “When you get so many abandoned properties, you get a lot of criminal activity. Not to mention, it detracts from the quality of life and the neighbors and residents.”
Parker added that vacant properties are a constant strain on the city’s budget.
“For example, in 2016, the city spent over five million bucks on the maintenance of vacant properties,” Parker said. “We also have demolitions and those things carry significant costs also.”