While all Missourians were impacted by the economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, some were hit harder than others. Although every Missourian deserves the opportunity to thrive, with quality housing they can afford, a job that lets them provide for their families, and a strong community that offers access to a quality education, affordable healthcare, and all the resources that help families succeed, the pandemic highlighted the economic and racial disparities in Missouri that kept these conditions out of reach in many communities.
The unprecedented funds available to state and local governments through federal stimulus bills such as the American Rescue Plan provided an opportunity to build toward a better and more equitable future for all Missourians. In 2021, St. Louis City dedicated $5 million of its portion of the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund toward $500 direct cash assistance payments to 9,300 St. Louis residents impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. This report compares the recipients of those payments to the overall distribution of St. Louis City to determine whether these payments were equitably distributed.
