St. Louis Homeless Winter Outreach

The city already funds 800 beds year-round, but it’s still not enough to meet the demand.

St. Louis earmarked millions from the American Rescue Plan Act for homeless services. But after two deep freezes in as many years, the city is just now planning to open a 24/7 "safe haven" shelter for those without housing.

St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones also discussed the city’s approaches to homelessness and a pilot program implementing universal basic income.

St. Louis’ last pop-up safe haven shelter has closed for the season, and the city has yet to fund one.

A two-week blitz by advocates for St. Louis’ homeless population kept an estimated 260 people out of the cold, even as freezing temperatures have blanketed the region for nearly two weeks. Advocates Alex Cohen and Tim Huffman discussed the effort, and the reasons it was necessary, on St. Louis on the Air.

St. Louis agencies and community organizations that work with the region’s homeless population are calling on city and county residents to volunteer time…