ST. LOUIS – The St. Louis Board of Aldermen voted Tuesday to expand the Impacted Tenants Fund to help provide rental assistance to renters displaced by the May 16 tornado.

The fund will cover one month of rent for people who are forced to move to a new property. There are no requirements that an applicant use the funds to find a property within city limits.

Michelle Jackson rents her home in The Ville and has had to move around wherever she can find a spare bed in the aftermath of the tornado.

“Sometimes, me and my grandkids have to sleep in the car,” she said.

She and her daughter both lost their homes, and says they continue to be victimized.

“People are going in and stealing stuff out of my house. They stole my TVs. They stole all my stuff that’s worth a lot in my house,” Jackson said.

She is happy to hear that the city approved the rental assistance bill, but it will not be an immediate fix. Ward 14 Alderman Rasheen Aldridge said the application has not been approved yet and it could be a couple of weeks before people can apply.

The Impacted Tenants Fund was put into play in May 2024 for renters forced to move from a condemned property. It was originally funded with $100,000 of ARPA funding, but the program has never gotten up and running.

Although this new bill passed on Tuesday, there is still work to be done to get the program functioning.

Board President Megan Green said last week that a vendor was picked to administer the program last year, but it is unclear why that contract was never finalized.

“We’re working around the clock to set it up. This was something that should’ve been set up in 2023 when we originally passed it, but we’re here now,” Alderman Aldridge said.

The mayor’s office did not return FOX 2’s request for comment. Alderman Aldridge said the vendor is now in place. An application is being drafted and could be ready for final approval within a couple of weeks. Jackson says the sooner the better.

The city’s budget committee has also recommended adding another $1 million to the Impacted Tenants Fund so they can help more renters displaced by the storm.