Mayor Tishaura O. Jones Presents St. Louis Vaccination, Direct Relief Proposals to Dr. Anthony Fauci at US Conference of Mayors Meeting

Today, Mayor Tishaura O. Jones joined the United States Conference of Mayors (USCM) alongside Dr. Anthony Fauci to outline how her $80 million proposal in initial direct relief funds (ARPA) will help build critical public health infrastructure to boost vaccination rates and shield St. Louisans from the economic aftershocks of the COVID-19 crisis, including an impending eviction crisis. Mayor Jones currently serves on the advisory board of the USCM.

“Dr. Fauci and mayors from across the country stressed the urgency of getting more vaccines in arms as quickly as possible, and my proposal includes $6.75 million in critical public health infrastructure to help us do that,” said Mayor Tishaura O. Jones. “Our state has the highest rate of COVID-19 cases in the country as the Delta variant sweeps through rural Missouri. I’m ready to work with the Board of Aldermen to move as quickly as possible to get more St. Louisans vaccinated and protected from COVID-19.”

Despite rising COVID-19 case numbers across the state and pending evictions citywide, the Board’s Housing, Urban Development and Zoning Committee did not pass Mayor Jones’ $80 million direct relief proposal on to the full board today. Mayor Jones will continue to emphasize the need to provide urgent, direct relief for the people of St. Louis to put our city on the path to an equitable recovery and protect people from COVID-19.

Highlights of the administration’s plan include:

• $6.75 million in public health infrastructure to get people the resources they need and vaccinate them with mobile vaccine clinics and community canvasses, meeting St. Louisans in their neighborhoods and homes
• $58 million in direct, urgent economic relief, including housing and utility assistance, support for the unhoused, immediate cash assistance, and public benefits navigators to help residents connect with these services
• $11.5 million to address the root causes of crime and improve public safety through increased funding for violence intervention programs and youth programming and jobs to keep youth engaged and safe

This initial infusion of funds - the critical first step towards an equitable recovery from the COVID-19 crisis - will deliver urgent, direct relief to help St. Louis families support themselves and stabilize neighborhoods across our city, laying the foundation for long-term growth and investment. The administration is urging the Board of Aldermen to move quickly to approve these funds to boost vaccination rates and prepare for a looming eviction crisis after the potential lifting of the eviction moratorium.