St. Louis Observer: February 18, 2022
Prison nursery program progresses through #MOSen; City court releases partial data from criminal dockets; two short-term shelters open; Republicans attack MO citizen initiative petition
Editor’s Note
In the wake of the death of a St. Louis City fire fighter, St. Louis City leadership and residents are fighting back against negligent property owners who have allowed their historic buildings to decay. Following the fire fighter’s death, St. Louis Fire Chief Dennis Jenkerson launched the creation of a database of vacant buildings in the City, noting the conditions of and around the building, like missing walls, leaning chimneys, and decayed floors. The City owns most of the 6,000 vacant buildings; Paul McKee owns the second-most. St. Louis Development Corp. (SLDC) recently identified the organization tasked with administering and distributing a new fund to boost individual rehabilitation and new construction of homes in North City.
Meanwhile, the Preservation Board has been considering invocation of a 2014 ordinance called “demolition by neglect,” which would allow the Cultural Resources Office (CRO) director to initiate hearings to make emergency stabilization repairs at the expense of the negligent property owner. Community organizations like the Revilitation of Baden Association (ROBA) have taken the fight a step further. Partnering with Legal Services of Eastern Missouri, ROBA is suing owners of derelict properties not just for repairs and renovations, but for the ownership of the property, as well. And they’ve already seen success — on December 29, 2021, ROBA was granted the conveyance of its first renovated property under this novel type of lawsuit.
A rarely-used Missouri statute, Revised Missouri Statute §447.622, empowers community organizations like ROBA that focus on development and neighborhood preservation, to sue problem property owners who have fallen behind on annual real estate taxes, maintenance & upkeep, and addressing Civilian Service Bureau complaints. The community organization must demonstrate to the court that it intends to rehabilitate the property and will be asked to provide its plan to do so. Upon request, a judge may appoint a community organization to serve as a “receiver,” who invests their own funds into repairing the properties, bringing them up-to-code, obtaining occupancy permits, and submitting updates on the process along the way. When the receivership is terminated, the community organization may assume control of the property as the new and lawful owner. ROBA seeks to restore Black ownership to the neglected historic homes of Baden, many of which are owned by out-of-state holding companies or “dark” LLCs, where an individual owner cannot be identified.
While the effort to save the historic homes of North City should have begun decades ago, ROBA and other community groups have shown that it’s “better late than never.” The anticipated success of the § 447 suits - combined with STLFD’s database, potential Preservation Board efforts to compel action by problem propertyowners, and the new micro-development fund - sets our City on a promising path to vibrant, stable, and safe neighborhoods, regardless of zip code.
In the News
Police, prosecutorial, and judicial accountability
In an effort to promote accountability, the St. Louis City Circuit Court has began to publish monthly reports of some data on pending criminal matters in the City. While the breakdowns include the type and levels of offenses, the reports still lack data on race, gender, and other key metrics sought by community members and activists who also monitor the courts. [St. Louis Post-Dispatch/Joel Currier]
In accordance with its pledge of transparency, the St. Louis County Police Department has released the police body camera footage showing the moments leading up to the fatal shooting of Jeremi Moore by a North County Cooperative officers in December. The County PD released the video footage to YouTube, along with commentary by a police commander, after refusing to release the video, an open public record, to requesting reporters. [St. Louis Post-Dispatch/Kim Bell]
Inmates detained within the Missouri Department of Corrections are sounding the alarm on the lack of snacks, clothing, and hygiene items available at prison canteens. Many inmates rely on the canteen for winter clothing, extra socks and shirts, and food items to supplement substandard meals provided by the prison. [St. Louis Post-Dispatch/Kurt Erickson]
Economic development in St. Louis City and County
The Revitalization of Baden Association has partnered with Legal Services of Eastern Missouri to take negligent property owners to court, seeking possession of the properties and rehabbing them for affordable prices. Potential homeowners would finance the necessary renovations and cover any delinquent taxes. Homebuyers further would be required to live in the house for three years before the title is turned over to them. [St. Louis Public Radio/Chad Davis]
The St. Louis County Council voted to “relax” the County’s requirements to subcontract at least 24% of its construction work to minority-owned businesses and 9.5% to women-owned businesses on Tuesday. Councilman Ernie Trakas (R-6th District) introduced the bill over claims that County projects were not getting bids because contractors did not meet diversity requirements. [St. Louis Post-Dispatch/Nassim Benchaabane]
East St. Louis has received nearly $1 million in state funding for new street lights and improved security cameras through its commerical State Street corridor. The State of Illinois launched its Rebuild Distressed Communities program in 2021 to “to help businesses and communities recover from civil unrest and economic setbacks because of the pandemic.” [St. Louis American/Staff]
Further reading
Two new short-term shelters are being opened for the City’s unhoused for at least two days this week as inclement weather moves back into the region. One shelter at Gamble Recreation Center in Jeff-Vander-Lou will be operated by City Hope St. Louis, a local nonprofit that recently received funding from the City; the second “pop-up” shelter will be at Bridge of Hope Ministries in the Greater Ville neighborhood, organized and supported by nonprofit organizations and volunteers. [St. Louis Post-Dispatch/Mark Schlinkmann]
The Republican-backed legislation that would effectively end the citizen initiative petition process to amend the state constitution has received its first round of approval in the Missouri House. The proposal by Rep. Bishop Davidson, R-Republic, would vastly increase the number of signatures needed to get a petition on the ballot (increased from 5% to 10% per congressional district) and the number of votes required to pass (increased from 51% to 66.6%); multiple Missouri Republicans have introduced legislation this session that would suppress civic and voter engagement. [Columbia Missourian/Evan Lasseter]
Dawn Huston, a Missouri woman sentenced to 15 years of incarceration in 2014 for selling cannabis to an undercover Missouri State Trooper, has been granted clemency by Gov. Mike Parson, receiving a commutation of her sentence that restores her eligibility for parole. Although Huston remains incarcerated at this time, the commutation clears the path for her early release and she becomes the 15th person with a non-violent drug offense to have her sentence commuted since late 2020. [Riverfront Times/Danny Wicentowski]
The Missouri Senate’s Seniors, Families, Veterans and Military Affairs Committee held a hearing this week on the creation of the “Correctional Center Nursery Program,” originally introduced by Rep. Kimberly-Ann Collins (D-St. Louis) in the Missouri House. Statistics from similar programs have shown reduced recidivism rates for mothers, fewer newborns in the foster care system, and better maternal and childhood health outcomes. [Columbia Missourian/Jana Rose Schleis]
Legislative & Legal Update
City of St. Louis
BB 119, introduced by Ald. Todd and Ald. Ingrassia (Ward 6), would repeal the City’s current loitering ordinance and would provide a legal defense for the amended criminal charge of loitering. This bill has been stalled in the Public Safety Committee since November 16, 2021, with no forward movement.
BB 184, introduced by Ald. Tom Oldenburg (Ward 16), would re-allocate nearly $6 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) COVID relief funds to St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department for equipment and weapons. The bill was referred to the Ways & Means Committee on February 11 for further study and discussion.
BB 206, introduced by Ald. Oldenburg, would re-fund the Real-Time Crime Center using Corona Virus Local Fiscal Recover Funds originally allocated to cover SLMPD officer overtime expenses. The bill was introduced on February 18 and had not yet been assigned to a committee at the time of publishing.
BB 208, introduced by Ald. Brandon Bosley (Ward 3), would establish a Reparations Fund to support the significant others and children of St. Louis City residents who are incarcerated. The bill was introduced on February 18 and had not yet been assigned to a committee at the time of publishing.
Resolution 159, sponsored by Aldermen Sharon Tyus (Ward 1), Jeffrey Boyd (Ward 22), and Pamela Boyd (Ward 27), would resolve that any new or expanded facility for unhoused persons be constructed in the wards that do not already have facilities. This resolution was assigned to the Health and Human Services Committee on January 14, 2022, with no forward movement.
Quote of the Week
It is a major step in bringing transparency to the violence carried out by actors in the 22nd Circuit Court that disproportionately harms Black and poor people in our city. The court is now committing to publishing this data in an ongoing manner which will facilitate citizen engagement and the ability to hold this Court accountable for the decisions that are made in our names. Transparency is one step toward true accountability.
Freedom Community Center’s CourtWatch’s statement on the Twenty-Second Judicial Circuit’s announcement that some court data and statistics would be published on a monthly basis.