Bell Announces Nearly $7 Million to Boost Housing Supply and Lower Housing Costs in St. Louis

Washington, D.C.- Last week, Representative Wesley Bell (D-Mo.) announced $6,999,118 in grants from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to increase the housing supply and make renting and homeownership more affordable for families in St. Louis. The funds were awarded through HUD's Pathways to Removing Obstacles to Housing (PRO Housing) program, which helps communities cut bureaucratic red tape, streamline development, and address local barriers to affordable housing.

"Housing affordability isn't just an economic issue-it's a matter of dignity," said Rep. Bell."This funding will help St. Louis tackle longstanding challenges in our housing market, from increasing the supply of affordable homes to breaking down barriers that slow development. For families across the city, this means a fairer chance at stability and the chance to build a future where no one is priced out of their own community."

A recent report commissioned by the City of St. Louis found that nearly half of the city's renter households are cost-burdened, meaning they spend more than 30% of their income on housing. To address this, St. Louis has updated local land use policies, reduced barriers to transit-oriented development, incentivized housing construction, and enhanced neighborhood planning.

A first of its kind program, PRO Housing helps communities continue to address restrictive land use or regulatory policies; improve and implement housing strategies; invest in local neighborhoods and increase community resilience; and facilitate the construction of new housing and repairs to existing homes. Grants to local governments, states, metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs), and multi-jurisdictional entities range from $1 million to $7 million.

Click herefor more information on the entities who received funding through this second round of the PRO Housing competition.

###