St. Louis’ Fight Against Vacancy is More of a Long War Than a Single Battle
Date Posted: February 25, 2025
Posted In: Discussion,
From St. Louis Public Radio: Last October, St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones took the stage at the city’s annual event celebrating the local business community projecting confidence about the region’s trajectory.
She also issued a warning to those who, in her eyes, have held St. Louis back, namely by holding onto swaths of land in the city but failing to invest time or resources in their upkeep or improvement.
“If you’re an absentee property owner, read my lips: Neglect is no longer welcome in the City of St. Louis,” Jones said.
In the months since, both residents and civic leaders have taken steps to strengthen the way St. Louis can and will respond to the roughly 25,000 vacant buildings and lots inside city limits.
City residents overwhelmingly passed a change to St. Louis’ charter that eliminated a $500 cap on fines and fees for violating ordinances related to vacant buildings and non-owner-occupied buildings that are deteriorating or actions like illegal dumping or unpermitted demolitions.