$30 million from Rams settlement proposed for tornado relief, city pleads for federal aid

ST. LOUIS, Mo. (First Alert 4) -As the City of St. Louis continues its recovery efforts following last month’s tornado, a new bill proposes using interest accrued from the Rams settlement to provide immediate relief.

The bill, introduced on Friday, proposes using $30 million toward helping storm victims with housing assistance, repairs and relocation efforts.

“We’re going to start there,” said Mayor Cara Spencer. “Recognizing, it’s going to take us a little bit of time to get that out, we feel that’s a good amount to get us started.”

Spencer said how the money will be dispersed to those impacted is still being discussed, although she said the money would go directly to residents in a “meaningful way.”

Next week, Spencer said there will be two committee meetings to further discuss the use of the money, including a meeting on Thursday, June 12, that will take place in The Ville neighborhood.

Board President Megan Green said she plans to call a special meeting on June 17 to vote on the bill.

On Friday, as city officials discussed their desire to move quickly with the legislation, they called on the federal government to make a formal disaster declaration, paving the way for FEMA assistance.

“We absolutely need their help, there is no doubt about it,” said Spencer. “Regardless of what the volunteers and the state and local governments have been able to bootstrap together, it is absolutely imperative that we have FEMA help.”

Without federal aid and the various financial aid programs that accompany it, Spencer stressed the city and state will not be able to take care of the needs of those impacted by the storm.

“There’s no amount of local volunteers, or local effort that can address the needs,” she said. “Not only that, but we have so many uninsured, we have so many needs beyond what is even possible at the local level.”

Valda Bohlen spends time sitting on the front porch of her North St. Louis home, which boasts a red sticker on the front, signaling significant structural damage.

“Two back bedrooms caved in the house, all the ceiling was gone,” she said. “Now all the ceiling is in the room and the whole house is gone, just gone.”

She is staying with a family member because her house is uninhabitable, but three weeks after the storm, she said the only action she’s seen taken is by the city’s streets department.

“They’ve done a wonderful job clearing the trees and debris piled up by the road,” she said. “You can really notice a difference.”

Bohlen said she’s kept up with happenings at City Hall on the news, but is underwhelmed with the pace of the legislative work being done.

“Are they moving? I haven’t seen anything, so that’s why I’m saying, are they moving?” she said.

Mayor Spencer said the city is not waiting for the most recent proposal to be voted on to begin making decisions on how the money should be allocated. She said $1 million has already been earmarked to help with relocation of both renters and homeowners impacted by the storm.

“We want to relocate people within the city,” she said. “That is our goal.”

Spencer said she was “frustrated” with the lack of action taken thus far by FEMA. Gov. Mike Kehoe made a formal request to the Trump istration on May 26, asking for federal help.

“We cannot shoulder this alone, nor we should we be expected to,” she said.

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