Briefs & Summaries Inclusive Housing Thriving Communities

Section 8 Housing in the St. Louis Region: Local Opportunities to Expand Housing Choice

Section 8 renters in the St. Louis area are highly segregated in poor neighborhoods. I recommend four local actions to increase housing choice for Section 8 renters:

  1. St. Louis City: Remove the special occupancy permit requirements for landlords who wish to rent through the Section 8 program.
  2. St. Louis City: Revise local fair housing ordinances to include Section 8 as an explicitly protected source of income.
  3. St. Louis County and Municipalities: Pass local fair housing ordinances to provide fair housing protections by source of income, explicitly including Section 8.
  4. State of Missouri and Missouri Housing Development Corporation: Provide greater transparency to the process by which Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) funding decisions are made.

Project: Inclusive Housing

Citation

Metzger, M. W. (2014, November). Section 8 housing in the St. Louis region: Local opportunities to expanding housing choice (CSD Policy Brief No. 14-29). St. Louis, MO: Washington University, Center for Social Development.