Block grant

A survivor of the May tornado that struck St. Louis's Ville neighborhood traveled to Capitol Hill this week to lobby lawmakers for federal disaster recovery funding, as the city says it still needs roughly $1 billion to rebuild. Michael McLemore, whose neighborhood has seen widespread demolition of damaged homes, joined disaster survivors from 11 states as part of the advocacy group Rebuild, pushing for money through HUD's Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery program, which has not received new appropriations since the end of 2024.

Sen. Josh Hawley has separately urged a Senate Appropriations subcommittee to unlock funding for the program, saying St. Louis and other Missouri communities need it. City officials, including chief recovery officer Julian Nicks, say the funds are essential to rebuilding lost rental and residential housing. Advocates warn housing instability will worsen as winter approaches, and are urging Congress not to let North St. Louis's long-term recovery needs be forgotten.