American Rescue Plan (ARPA) Resource Guide

Resources for COVID-19 recovery, including ARPA funded projects and additional support.

Overview

The American Rescue Plan is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to invest in St. Louis families and support our communities. The City of St. Louis is using these funds to improve public safety, create healthier communities, transform our neighborhoods, and set St. Louis on the path to success. These programs support and stabilize neighborhoods in anticipation of more federal funds down the line. We encourage residents to learn more below.

Funding Our Future 

Adult Education & Literacy (AEL) Program

Overview

The SLATE Missouri Job Center, in partnership with EDSI and the St. Louis Public Schools, successfully applied and received funding to provide Adult Education and Literacy (AEL) program to 75 participants ages 17 years or older. This program, funded through the American Rescue Plan Act, will help city residents who dropped out of High School complete their secondary education and/or other training and credentials to increase opportunities for attaining employment. 

Classes will take place at SLATE Missouri Job Center, 1520 Market Street, 3rd Floor, Room 3050. 

Who is Eligible?

  • Applicants must live in the City of St. Louis, and 
    • Reside in a household with an income below $69,090 or live in a Qualified Census Tract;
  • Be at least 17 years or older;
  • Not currently enrolled in any school;
  • Must show proof of age, St. Louis residency, and household income (for a complete list of accepted documents, please see our staff);
  • Must show proof of being negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

How to Apply?

Interested applicants, click here to complete pre-registration.

Gateway Go Youth Transit Program

The City of St. Louis, in partnership with Metro Transit, is working to expand public transit options for 3,000 St. Louis youth ages 13 - 25 by providing free passes for MetroLink and MetroBus through February 28, 2023. This program, funded through the American Rescue Plan, will help connect youth across the city to school, work, and other opportunities.

Eligibility Requirements: Age 13 - 25, City resident, household income below $69,090 

Closing Dates: Until cards are exhausted 

Fill out the pre-registration form and SLATE staff will follow up with a call. For in-person assistance, visit SLATE offices at 1520 Market St.

Stronger Communities

Mortgage Assistance

The Department of Human Services is providing a Mortgage Assistance Program for homeowners in the City of St. Louis. $2,500,000 in ARPA funds has been allocated to prevent foreclosures in St. Louis City.

Eligibility Requirements:

  • Your mortgage is on a St. Louis City property (check your address to see if your property is in the City)
  • Your mortgage is 30 days or more past due
  • Your household has an income of 150% or less of the Area Median Income (AMI)
  • You have experienced financial hardship due to COVID-19
  • You currently own AND occupy the property as your primary residence

Closing Dates: Until funds are exhausted 
Website: Mortgage Assistance Program
Phone: (314) 612-5900

Adult Basketball League 

To provide a positive outlet for individual adults to participate in an organized league. The league would be managed and operated in the evening hours in a gymnasium(s) in a City of St. Louis Recreation Center(s) on select nights of the week. The organized league would include referees, scorekeepers and various teams consisting of individuals/players from the ages of eighteen to twenty-five.

Eligibility Requirements: Individuals must be City residents and be age 18 - 25 years old to apply.

Anyone can register on the City Website or at stlcityrec.recdesk.com. They can contact the Recreation Division at 5600 Clayton Ave. 63110 or by phone at 314-289-5320. Registration is available at each Recreation Center.

Healthy Home Repair 

The Community Development Administration, in partnership with the Building Division, SLDC, Mission St. Louis & Habitat for Humanity, is currently in the process of expanding the Healthy Home Repair Program to assist families. This new funding will allow the City to accelerate the process by eliminating the environmental and historic review process. 

Eligibility Requirements: Applicant must be a city resident with a household income below $69,090, who own and occupy a home in the city in need of repair. 

Residents looking to apply can learn more on the program’s page, or by calling the Home Repair Hotline at 314-657-3888. Residents can also drop by CDA Offices at 1520 Market St.

Property Tax Assistance 

The Mayor’s Office, Department of Human Services & Collector of Revenue’s Office are partnering with Legal Services of Eastern Missouri & Park Central Development to administer a property tax forgiveness program for families at risk of losing their home at tax sale. 

Eligibility Requirements: Legal Services of Eastern Missouri and Park Central Development are reaching out to individuals on the tax sale rolls who own and occupy their own homes. Eligible individuals must be a City of St. Louis homeowner imminently facing tax foreclosure (i.e., a foreclosure judgment has been entered for the property); the home receiving funds must be applicant’s sole residence; A foreclosure sale of the property must be scheduled for this year; and the owner’s household income must not exceed 100% of Area Median Income (AMI) for St. Louis.

Website: https://retaf.org/for-homeowners/
Phone: Call the Collector of Revenue’s Office for questions at 314-622-4105

STL Small Business Grant Fund 

This program, run by St. Louis Development Corporation, is designed to support small businesses in St. Louis as they get back on their feet and deal with the ramifications of the COVID-19 pandemic. Approximately 900 businesses will be eligible to apply for the small business program and will receive grants of $5,000. 

Eligibility Requirements: Businesses with 25 or fewer employees who suffered an impact due to COVID-19 and whose business is located in the City of St. Louis will be eligible to apply for this funding. 

Closing Dates: This program will open on April 4th with in person events and the online application will go live on April 14th. Hard copy applications will be accepted beginning at 9:00 AM, on Monday April 4th. You can stop by the SLDC office, located at 1520 Market St, beginning at 9:00 AM to fill out a paper application. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until funds are exhausted. 

For more information or questions regarding your application, please email sldc-grants@stlouis-mo.gov.

North St. Louis Commercial Corridor Grant Program

Businesses and nonprofits located on 11 eligible corridors and neighborhoods in North St. Louis can apply for operational support and façade and storefront improvement grants. Applications are available online.

Eligibility Requirements: 

The 11 eligible corridors are below:

  • North Grand Blvd. 
  • Dr. Martin Luther King Dr.
  • Florissant Ave.
  • North Broadway
  • Natural Bridge Ave.
  • West Florissant Ave.
  • Delmar West
  • Delmar East
  • Goodfellow
  • Union Ave.
  • Page Ave.

There are two categories of awards within the application:

  1. Small Business Stabilization and Expansion Grants – Small businesses and nonprofits along each corridor can apply for stabilization and expansion from these grants:
    • Stabilization – providing operational support for a business to maintain standard operations
    • Expansion – defined as business activity that supports the growth of the business and its ability to scale to respond to market opportunities.
    • Façade and Storefront Improvements Program - The program is intended to help business and property owners make exterior and storefront improvements to enhance the value of their business, while improving the quality of experience for their customers and improving the vitality of North St. Louis neighborhoods.
  2. Community Need Grants – Small businesses and nonprofit organizations that are located in a HUD Qualified Census Tract (QCT) and are within a neighborhood that contains a portion of one of the North St. Louis Commercial Corridors can apply for the funds. To qualify, a small business or nonprofit organization must fill a gap in needed professional or health services or enhanced retail or cultural offerings in the neighborhood.

Closing Dates: This program will continue unil funds are exhausted.

State of Missouri Programs 

Mortgage Assistance

If you're a Missouri homeowner struggling to make your mortgage payment due to the COVID-19 pandemic, you may qualify for assistance. The Missouri State Assistance for Housing Relief (SAFHR) for Homeowners can provide mortgage reinstatement assistance, paid directly to your loan servicer. 

Eligibility Requirements: Homeowner must attest to inability to pay mortgage due to a financial hardship after January 21, 2020. Homeowner must have a total annual household income within 150 percent of the area median income or 100 percent of the U.S. median income, whichever is greater. Property must be occupied as the primary residence. Property must be located in the state of Missouri. Eligible structures include: single-family homes (attached or detached) and manufactured housing mortgaged as real property. Homeowner agrees to provide all necessary documentation to satisfy program guidelines established by SAFHR for Homeowners.

More information on eligibility can be found at: https://www.safhrforhomeowners.com/required-documents 

Closing Dates: Currently, there is no deadline; however, a deadline will depend on updates to the program guidelines and the availability of funds.

Website: https://www.safhrforhomeowners.com/
Phone: 1-833-541-1599
Email: safhr.homeowner@mhdc.com

Please contact SAFHR by phone 1-833-541-1599 or email safhr.homeowner@mhdc.com to learn more about in-person assistance.

Rental Relief

Eligible tenants can apply for financial assistance to be paid directly to their landlord or utility provider. Landlords may also apply on behalf of their tenants. Financial assistance includes rent and utility arrears for the period beginning April 2020 and up to 3 months of forward rent and prepaid fuel utility assistance. Utilities include gas, electric, water, sewage/waste water, fuel (propane, wood, etc.) and trash. You may apply for utility assistance even if you are not applying for rental assistance.

Eligibility Requirements: Eligibility is based on where you live, how much income your household has, and whether you're at risk of losing your housing or having your utilities shut off due to a financial hardship. To learn more about eligibility visit: https://www.mohousingresources.com/safhr-renters-eligibility 

Closing Dates: Applications close on January 31, 2023.

Website: https://www.mohousingresources.com/safhr
Phone: 1-833-541-1599
Email: safhr.homeowner@mhdc.com

Please contact SAFHR by phone 1-833-541-1599 or email safhr.homeowner@mhdc.com to learn more about in-person assistance.

Closed Programs

Direct Cash Assistance 

The Direct Cash Assistance Program was designed to provide 9,300 Saint Louis residents with a one-time payment of $500. This program began in December 2021 and is now closed.

Eligibility Requirements: Previously, to qualify for this program, residents must be residents of the City of Saint Louis and at or below 80 percent AMI. This program is now closed.

Closing Dates: Closed.

New Dimensions Soccer

The program would take place at all of St. Louis City Recreation Centers, and on playing fields across the St. Louis region, as is already happening through our existing relationship with St. Louis City Parks and Recreation. 

Eligibility Requirements: Applicants must live in the City and be age 5 - 12. At 13 the youth can become assistant coaches for New Dimensions Soccer.

Closing Dates: May 2022.

Anyone can register on the City Website or at stlcityrec.recdesk.com. Contact the Recreation Division at 5600 Clayton Ave. 63110 or by phone at 314-289-5320. Registration is also available at each Recreation Center.

Summer Youth Jobs 

STL Youth Jobs offers the following different pathways for youth ages 14-24: 

  • Discover You: (Ages 14-15). Career exploration, job shadowing, money management, and skill-building. Age 14 by June 6, 2022.
  • Summer Work Experience: (Ages 16-24). A summer job based on your interests and abilities.
  • **Returning alumni, interested in taking a leadership role, can apply for a role with our Youth Alumni Ambassadors.
  • Career Accelerator Pathway (CAP): (Ages 18-24), for program alumni, enrolled in post-secondary education. Professional work experience directly related to career interests and goals.

Youth, ages 14-24 from any of the following neighborhoods will receive priority (any City resident can also apply):

Academy, Baden, Bevo Mill, Carondelet, Carr Square, Columbus Square, Covenant Blu/Grand Center, Dutchtown, Fairground, Gravois Park, Greater Ville, Hamilton Heights, Holly Hills, Jeff VanderLou, Kingsway East, Kingsway West, Lewis Place, M.T. I -70 Industrial, Mark Twain, Mt. Pleasant, North Point, O'Fallon, Patch, Penrose, St. Louis Place, The Ville, Tower Grove East, Vandeventer, Visitation Park, Walnut Park East, Walnut Park West, Wells-Goodfellow, West End.

Website: stlyouthjobs.org
Phone: 314-499-8176

Youth Basketball League

All of the City Recreation Centers provide and run basketball leagues for boys and girls ages 5 and up to support and promote a healthy childhood environment. Organized sports help children develop and improve cognitive skills, and many do better academically. 

Eligibility Requirements: Youth age 5 - 17 who live in the City are eligible to apply.

Closing Dates: Closed.

Anyone can register on the City Website or at stlcityrec.recdesk.com. They can contact the Recreation Division at 5600 Clayton Ave. 63110 or by phone at 314-289-5320. Registration is available at each Recreation Center.

St. Louis City and County Emergency Rental Assistance 

The Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA) Program is intended for those disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak. St. Louis and its partners are running this rental assistance program to address the hardship faced by our community. Funds are available for past due, current due, future rent, and utilities. 

Eligibility Requirements: Someone in the household has qualified for unemployment or experienced a reduction in income, incurred significant costs, or experienced financial hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic. You are currently experiencing housing instability or at risk of housing instability, which may include rental arrears or anticipation of inability to pay future rent. Your household income is at or below 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI), and you live in St. Louis City or County. 

Closing Dates: Closed in 2022
Website: Emergency Rental Assistance
Phone: 1-855-582-3973

Vaccine Gift Cards 

The City of St. Louis Department of Health COVID-19 gift card incentive program offers a $100 gift card to all city residents who receive a COVID-19 vaccination, including a booster, at a Department of Health-sponsored event or from Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) partners.

Eligibility Requirements: St. Louis City residents ages 5 years of age and older are eligible to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Ages 12 and older are eligible for a booster shot. 

Closing Dates: Closed.

Website: COVID-19 Vaccine
Phone: (314) 657-1499

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