$120 million isn’t all for tornado recovery

City leaders and news reports have described the city’s Rams settlement spending plan as directing $120 million to North St. Louis tornado recovery.

A review of Board Bill 22 reveals a more detailed story.

The legislation divides the $120 million into two separate funds with different purposes. The ordinance sets aside $89 million for long-term tornado recovery and $31 million to implement North St. Louis neighborhood plans. The disagreement is over how much money is specifically reserved for rebuilding neighborhoods damaged by the May 16, 2025, tornado.

A year after the St. Louis Rams football team left St. Louis in 2016, the city, St. Louis County and the Regional Convention and Sports Authority sued the NFL and Rams owner Stan Kroenke for violating the league’s relocation rules. 

In 2021, the plaintiffs won a historic $790 million settlement. After legal fees, St. Louis County received $169 million, the Convention and Sports Complex Authority received $70 million and St. Louis received the largest share, about $280 million.

After months of contentious debate, the St. Louis Board of Aldermen voted 12-3 on July 2 to approve a $255 million spending plan directing the city’s share of the settlement toward tornado recovery, neighborhood redevelopment, infrastructure improvements, downtown revitalization and efforts to reduce vacant properties.

Sharon Tyus is the alderwoman for the city’s 12th Ward, which sustained some of the heaviest tornado damage. She expressed doubt that North City wards will receive a large portion of the settlement money.

When asked what she hoped to see the $120 million do in North St. Louis, Tyus gave a blunt answer.

“There is no $120 million coming,” she said. Tyus said the $31 million designated for North St. Louis neighborhood plans is the portion she believes residents can count on.

Board Bill 22 confirms the distinction. It creates an $89 million Long-Term Tornado Recovery Fund for resident, housing and business recovery while dedicating $31 million to implementing neighborhood plans already adopted — or under development — in North St. Louis.

The neighborhood plans identify long-term housing, infrastructure, business and public-space projects in North St. Louis. The $31 million is intended to carry out those plans rather than provide direct tornado recovery assistance.

Cristina Garmendia, policy director to Board of Aldermen President Megan Green, said the city already operates a tornado Recovery Office through Mayor Cara Spencer’s administration.

“The city’s Recovery Office primarily focused on coordinating FEMA-reimbursable activities, like demolition and debris removal,” Garmendia said. Its primary purpose is to help with home repair and rental assistance for tornado-impacted households.

Garmendia said city leaders intentionally kept the Recovery Office’s mission narrowly focused. The Rams settlement money, she said, will primarily focus on coordinating long-term home repair and helping tornado-impacted families access the resources they need to “hopefully return to their homes.”

Tyus remains skeptical.

She pointed to the “impact areas” listed in Board Bill 22, which include the Central West End, Skinker/DeBaliviere and Forest Park. All were damaged by the tornado, but they are not geographically located in North St. Louis.

Pointing to decades of disinvestment in North St. Louis, Tyus remained skeptical that North St. Louis neighborhoods like hers will receive as much of the Rams settlement money as many residents expect.

Kevin Bryant, founder and president of Kingsway Development LLC., is the developer leading redevelopment efforts in Fountain Park, one of the neighborhoods hit hardest by the tornado.

Bryant admits he hasn’t been “engaged by City Hall thus far,” but wants to see the settlement money go toward communities that were “devastated” by the tornado.

“I would hope that money goes toward affordable housing primarily, as well as infrastructure,” Bryant said. “As a developer in Fountain Park, you would think some of those funds would go toward the housing crisis there.”

Margaret Starks, 84, said she’s attended several public meetings where politicians promised help for tornado victims. She’s lived in the Pershing/DeBaliviere neighborhood for about 30 years and said she and several of her neighbors are still waiting for home repair assistance.

Starks said her home still needs roof and structural repairs. She’s frustrated because she hasn’t received enough help from her insurance company or the city. She wants to see the settlement money help homeowners repair their homes and bring them “up to code.”

“A lot of us are getting discouraged. We can pray but sometimes you gotta get up off your knees and do something,” Starks said. “With all this money coming in, I’m just hoping it will help people replenish their homes. I’m hoping it turns out well for all of us.”

Jackie Dupree, 64, has lived most of her life in the 4400 block of San Francisco Avenue in North St. Louis. Her home suffered roof, window and structural damage during the tornado. She has received some government assistance, but not enough to address all of the damage. There are still homes on her block with visible storm damage.

When asked how she hoped the settlement money would be spent in North St. Louis, Dupree offered a simple reply.

“I just want to see everything that was damaged by the tornado fixed and repaired.”

Sylvester Brown Jr. is the Deaconess Foundation Community Advocacy Fellow.

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