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Showing posts with label st louis. Show all posts
Showing posts with label st louis. Show all posts

Thursday, May 29, 2025

St. Louis Renewal

Addressing racial segregation and urban inequality in St. Louis, particularly the stark disparities exemplified by the Delmar Divide, requires bold, systemic policy interventions that tackle historical injustices and their ongoing effects. The situation you describe—marked by deliberate neglect, entrenched segregation, and socioeconomic disparities—demands policies that address housing, education, economic opportunity, and community investment while dismantling systemic barriers. Below is an outline of policy proposals tailored to St. Louis, drawing on global examples where cities with similar histories of segregation and inequality have made meaningful progress. These proposals aim to bridge the gap between the “progressive” image and the reality of inequity, ensuring tangible change rather than symbolic gestures.
Policy Proposals for St. Louis
1. Expand and Enforce Equitable Housing Policies
  • Policy: Create a robust affordable housing trust fund and implement inclusionary zoning mandates requiring 20-30% of new developments to include affordable units. Pair this with “greenlining” initiatives to incentivize investment in historically disinvested neighborhoods like those north of Delmar. Ban exclusionary zoning practices that limit multifamily housing in wealthier areas.
  • Rationale: St. Louis’s segregation was historically engineered through redlining, racial covenants, and zoning ordinances, as seen in the 1916 racial zoning law and restrictive deed covenants struck down in Shelley v. Kraemer (1948). These policies concentrated poverty in North St. Louis, limiting access to jobs, schools, and amenities. Today, homes in North St. Louis are often undervalued compared to identical properties in South St. Louis, perpetuating wealth gaps.
  • Implementation:
    • Fund the affordable housing trust fund with a dedicated revenue stream, such as a property tax surcharge on high-value properties or a portion of tax-increment financing (TIF) revenues. St. Louis increased its trust fund to $6 million in 2019, but this is insufficient; aim for $50 million annually.
    • Enforce inclusionary zoning citywide, requiring developers to include affordable units in all new projects, with incentives like density bonuses or expedited permitting.
    • Launch a greenlining program offering low-interest loans and grants to developers and homeowners in North St. Louis to renovate properties and stimulate economic activity, countering the legacy of redlining.
    • Reform zoning to allow multifamily housing in areas like Central West End, reducing barriers that exclude low-income residents from opportunity-rich neighborhoods.
  • Accountability: Establish a community oversight board with representatives from North St. Louis to monitor fund allocation and ensure investments prioritize historically neglected areas.
2. Invest in Equitable Education and School Desegregation
  • Policy: Increase funding for public schools in North St. Louis through a regional education equity fund, supported by a metropolitan tax-sharing agreement. Implement magnet school programs and inter-district transfer options to promote racial and economic integration. Address disparities in college attainment linked to segregated neighborhoods.
  • Rationale: St. Louis’s schools remain highly segregated, with a 28% Black-white gap in college attainment tied to neighborhood disparities. Schools in North St. Louis often lack resources, impacting educational outcomes and perpetuating poverty.
  • Implementation:
    • Create a regional education fund by pooling a portion of property taxes from St. Louis City and County to equalize school funding. This could mirror the tax-sharing model proposed by the Ferguson Commission.
    • Expand magnet schools with specialized programs (e.g., STEM, arts) to attract diverse students and reduce segregation, as seen in successful desegregation efforts elsewhere.
    • Offer transportation subsidies and counseling for inter-district transfers, allowing students from North St. Louis to attend better-resourced schools in St. Louis County.
    • Partner with universities like Washington University to provide mentorship and college prep programs in underfunded schools.
  • Accountability: Track integration metrics and academic outcomes annually, with public reporting to ensure transparency and progress toward equity.
3. Promote Economic Opportunity and Wealth-Building
  • Policy: Establish a local reparations program targeting Black residents impacted by historical redlining and urban renewal, offering direct payments, housing assistance, or business grants. Create job training programs tied to growth industries (e.g., tech, healthcare) and prioritize hiring from North St. Louis.
  • Rationale: The racial wealth gap in St. Louis, exacerbated by policies like the demolition of Mill Creek Valley, limits economic mobility. Black households hold significantly less wealth, often tied to devalued homes in segregated neighborhoods.
  • Implementation:
    • Model a reparations program on Evanston, Illinois, providing $400,000 in housing assistance to Black residents affected by discriminatory policies (1919-1969). In St. Louis, target descendants of those displaced by urban renewal projects like Mill Creek Valley.
    • Develop job training centers in North St. Louis, partnered with local employers, to provide skills in high-demand fields. Offer stipends during training to reduce financial barriers.
    • Create a community land trust to preserve affordable housing and prevent gentrification, ensuring long-term wealth-building opportunities for Black residents.
  • Accountability: Require annual audits of reparations and training programs, with community input to ensure funds reach intended beneficiaries.
4. Enhance Community Infrastructure and Health Equity
  • Policy: Invest in infrastructure (e.g., grocery stores, parks, healthcare clinics) in North St. Louis to address disparities in access to resources. Expand public transit to connect segregated neighborhoods to job hubs. Implement environmental justice measures to mitigate pollution and heat island effects in redlined areas.
  • Rationale: North St. Louis lacks basic amenities like grocery stores and healthcare, contributing to health disparities (e.g., 18-year life expectancy gap). Redlined neighborhoods face higher temperatures and pollution, exacerbating environmental racism.
  • Implementation:
    • Use TIF funds to subsidize grocery stores and clinics in North St. Louis, as recommended in Segregation in St. Louis: Dismantling the Divide.
    • Expand MetroLink with dedicated routes connecting North St. Louis to downtown and county job centers, reducing commute times for low-income residents.
    • Implement green infrastructure (e.g., urban tree planting, green roofs) to combat heat islands, prioritizing formerly redlined areas.
  • Accountability: Partner with organizations like Health Equity Works to monitor health and infrastructure outcomes, ensuring investments reduce disparities.
5. Reform Policing and Community Safety
  • Policy: Require police officers to live in the communities they serve, increase funding for community-based violence prevention programs, and establish civilian review boards with subpoena power to address police misconduct.
  • Rationale: Heavy policing in North St. Louis, often by officers who don’t live locally, erodes trust and disproportionately impacts Black residents. Community-led safety initiatives can address root causes like poverty and disinvestment.
  • Implementation:
    • Mandate residency requirements for new police hires, as seen in cities like Detroit, to foster community connection.
    • Fund programs like Cure Violence, which uses local mediators to reduce gun violence, proven effective in Oakland, California.
    • Strengthen civilian review boards with authority to investigate and discipline officers, modeled on Minneapolis’s post-2020 reforms.
  • Accountability: Publish quarterly reports on police demographics, misconduct cases, and violence prevention outcomes, with community feedback sessions.
Global Examples of Successful Interventions
These examples highlight cities with histories of racial or economic segregation that have implemented policies to address inequality, offering lessons for St. Louis.
  1. Johannesburg, South Africa – Post-Apartheid Integration
    • Context: Johannesburg’s apartheid-era policies enforced racial segregation, concentrating Black residents in townships like Soweto with limited resources, similar to St. Louis’s North Side. Post-1994, the city faced challenges integrating communities divided by race and class.
    • Policies:
      • Housing and Land Reform: The Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP) built millions of affordable homes in mixed-income areas, reducing spatial segregation. Land restitution programs returned property to Black families displaced by apartheid.
      • Infrastructure Investment: The city invested in public transit (e.g., Gautrain, Rea Vaya bus system) to connect townships to economic hubs, improving access to jobs.
      • Community Engagement: Participatory budgeting allowed residents to prioritize local projects, ensuring investments met community needs.
    • Impact: While challenges remain, Johannesburg reduced its segregation index by 15% from 1996-2011, with improved access to services in formerly disadvantaged areas.
    • Lesson for St. Louis: St. Louis can adopt mixed-income housing and transit investments to connect North St. Louis to opportunity, with community-driven planning to ensure equity.
  2. Medellín, Colombia – Social Urbanism
    • Context: Medellín was plagued by violence and inequality in the 1990s, with poor, marginalized communities isolated in hillside barrios, akin to St. Louis’s segregated neighborhoods.
    • Policies:
      • Public Transit and Infrastructure: The city built cable cars and escalators to connect barrios to downtown, alongside libraries and community centers in underserved areas.
      • Education and Job Training: Social urbanism programs provided vocational training and microloans to residents in poor neighborhoods, fostering economic mobility.
      • Participatory Governance: Community councils shaped local development projects, ensuring investments reflected resident priorities.
    • Impact: Homicide rates dropped 80% from 1991-2010, and economic disparities narrowed as barrios gained access to jobs and services.
    • Lesson for St. Louis: Investing in transit and community infrastructure in North St. Louis, coupled with resident-led planning, can reduce isolation and inequality.
  3. Toronto, Canada – Mixed-Income Housing and Inclusionary Zoning
    • Context: Toronto faced growing economic segregation in the 2000s, with low-income residents concentrated in suburban high-rises, similar to St. Louis’s North County.
    • Policies:
      • Inclusionary Zoning: Toronto mandated 10-20% affordable units in new developments, increasing mixed-income neighborhoods.
      • Community Benefits Agreements: Developers were required to fund local infrastructure (e.g., parks, transit) in exchange for zoning approvals.
      • Public-Private Partnerships: The city partnered with nonprofits to redevelop public housing into mixed-income communities, like Regent Park.
    • Impact: Regent Park’s redevelopment reduced poverty concentration by 25% and improved access to amenities, fostering integration.
    • Lesson for St. Louis: St. Louis can mandate inclusionary zoning and use TIF funds to support mixed-income developments, reducing the Delmar Divide’s stark contrasts.
  4. Berlin, Germany – Social Housing and Anti-Gentrification Measures
    • Context: Post-reunification Berlin faced economic disparities between former East and West, with gentrification threatening low-income communities, similar to St. Louis’s uneven development.
    • Policies:
      • Social Housing Expansion: Berlin froze rents and expanded social housing, ensuring 30% of units remained affordable.
      • Anti-Gentrification Laws: The city restricted luxury conversions in low-income areas and prioritized local residents for new housing.
      • Community Investment: Neighborhood management programs funded parks, schools, and job centers in underserved areas.
    • Impact: Berlin maintained affordability, with 85% of residents renting and stable housing costs, preventing displacement in gentrifying areas.
    • Lesson for St. Louis: St. Louis can use rent control and community land trusts to protect North St. Louis residents from gentrification while investing in local amenities.
  5. Oakland, California – Community-Led Violence Prevention
    • Context: Oakland faced high crime and racial disparities in the 2000s, with Black neighborhoods experiencing disinvestment and heavy policing, mirroring North St. Louis.
    • Policies:
      • Cure Violence Program: Community mediators intervened in conflicts, reducing homicides by 40% in targeted areas.
      • Economic Investment: The city provided grants to Black-owned businesses and job training in high-unemployment neighborhoods.
      • Police Reform: Residency requirements and community policing models increased trust between residents and law enforcement.
    • Impact: Oakland’s homicide rate fell 50% from 2012-2018, with improved economic outcomes in targeted neighborhoods.
    • Lesson for St. Louis: St. Louis can adopt community-based safety programs and police reforms to address violence and build trust in North St. Louis.
Addressing Hypocrisy and Ensuring Accountability
The “progressive” hypocrisy you describe—yard signs and social media posts without action—can be countered by embedding community accountability in these policies. Each proposal includes oversight mechanisms (e.g., community boards, public reporting) to ensure funds and efforts reach North St. Louis and other marginalized areas. St. Louis must move beyond symbolic gestures by:
  • Centering Community Voices: Engage residents from North St. Louis in planning and decision-making, as seen in Johannesburg and Medellín.
  • Transparent Metrics: Publish annual equity reports tracking housing, education, health, and economic outcomes by zip code, modeled on Toronto’s data-driven approach.
  • Regional Collaboration: Address St. Louis’s fragmentation (90+ municipalities) through metropolitan tax-sharing and planning, as proposed by the Ferguson Commission.
Challenges and Considerations
  • Funding: Proposals like the housing trust fund and education equity fund require significant investment. St. Louis can leverage federal relief funds (e.g., ARPA, as Mayor Jones has suggested) and regional tax-sharing to avoid overburdening local budgets.
  • Resistance: Wealthier neighborhoods may oppose inclusionary zoning or tax-sharing. Community education and highlighting regional economic benefits (e.g., $151 billion GDP loss from inequity) can build support.
  • Gentrification: Investments in North St. Louis risk displacement without protections like community land trusts or rent control, as Berlin’s example shows.
Conclusion
St. Louis’s Delmar Divide is not inevitable; it’s the result of deliberate policies that can be undone with equally deliberate action. By investing in equitable housing, education, economic opportunity, infrastructure, and safety, St. Louis can bridge its racial and economic divides. Global examples from Johannesburg to Oakland show that systemic change is possible when policies prioritize equity, community voice, and accountability. The city’s “progressive” image must be backed by real commitment—teaspoons won’t fix a sinking ship. It’s time to stop posing for pictures and start dismantling the divide.

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