Mayor Tishaura O. Jones Responds to Continuation of Federal Eviction Moratorium

The following is a statement from St. Louis Mayor Tishaura O. Jones regarding the extension of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) likely final temporary halt on evictions until July 31, 2021. Mayor Jones’ $80 million relief proposal using American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds contains significant direct economic support, housing assistance and support for unhoused neighbors:

“I applaud President Joe Biden’s extension of the federal eviction moratorium. This action will help families across our country get back on their feet.

“But this doesn’t mean this crisis is over, and we can’t take our foot off the gas as we try to build the necessary infrastructure now to stave off a potential crisis. More than 2,500 eviction cases are pending in the City of St. Louis, and we must be prepared to get these families the support they need as soon as possible to stay in their homes.

“My $80 million direct relief proposal addresses the multiple crises facing our city, and Missouri continues to top our country in new COVID-19 cases per capita as the Delta variant sweeps through our region. I am still committed to working with the Board of Aldermen to pass this plan quickly to ramp up our vaccination efforts, provide direct assistance to families and unhoused neighbors and improve public safety by addressing the root causes of crime.”