The Regional Response Team has released a new report, “Improving Access to Eviction Prevention & Other Supports: A Regional Opportunity for 2021.” Read the report here.
The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly increased the demand for social services (e.g., serving the unhoused, protecting renters, serving food, etc.), and the call for a more equitable recovery that builds resilience in St. Louis communities. However, current structural factors prevent an equitable and sustained service delivery model in the region. Community-led service providers have difficulty accessing local funding and other resources, and government partners have difficulty finding qualified service providers to invest in. Regional partners are disconnected from the work being done by other partners, organizations miss opportunities for resource sharing, and the most vulnerable community members are unaware of how to access resources. The result is a mismatch that makes it hard to meet the needs of the community in this moment. With siloed resources and a system of service delivery without regional coordination, we are faced with the challenge of structuring the current landscape of eviction prevention work in a way that is both reactive in time of crisis but also proactive in anticipation of future crises in housing inequity.
Responses