Resources
Navigating environmental injustices can be daunting. Thankfully, help is available.
Explore this page to view resources, or click on a link below to jump to a topic.
General Information
-
United Way St. Louis
Provides excellent support to those dealing with a wide array of housing/environmental issues and links them to available resources.
Phone: 211 or (800) 427-4626
-
Citizens' Service Bureau
St. Louis City department that connects citizens with resources and programs offered by the City.
Phone: (314) 622-4800
-
Mission St. Louis
Resource guide providing information on available resources, qualification requirements, and contact information for sources of help.
Phone: (314) 534.-188
Legal Resources
-
Legal Services of Eastern Missouri
Provides free legal assistance to low-income individuals facing eviction, loss of housing assistance, poor living conditions, discrimination, and other disputes and helps neighborhood associations dealing with vacant properties.
Phone: (314) 534-4200
-
ArchCity Defenders
Provides legal representation to individuals with landlord-tenant issues, criminal matters, traffic cases, municipal ordinance violations, and other disputes.
Phone: (314) 361-8834
-
New Covenant Legal Services
Provides legal services, including landlord-tenant disputes and debt collection actions, to individuals on fixed or limited incomes who cannot afford private legal counsel.
Phone: (314) 726-6489
-
St. Francis Community Services
Legal assistance ministry that provides representation for low-income clients dealing with family law or immigration issues.
Phone: (314) 977-3993
-
Missouri Attorney General’s Office Military Legal Assistance Team
Helps veterans and active-duty service members locate free legal representation.
-
Kaufman Fund Veterans Legal Referral Program
Helps veterans locate free or low-cost legal assistance on a range of issues, including landlord-tenant disputes.
Phone: (314) 632-6462
Lead Contamination
-
CSB Lead Inspection and Hazard Control Division
Connects St. Louis City residents with lead inspectors to look for lead-based paint hazards in your home. If a child under six years of age or a pregnant woman lives at the property, lead inspections are free of cost.
Phone: (314) 622-4800
-
University of Missouri Soil Testing
Low-cost soil testing to determine whether your yard or garden contain toxic substances, including lead.
-
Environmental Protection Agency
Provides detailed information on how to safely renovate, repair, or paint a home with potential or confirmed lead contamination.
-
STL Department of Health
Free or low-cost blood lead testing for children under age 6. Appointment necessary. Testing provided Monday-Friday, 9am – 4pm.
Phone: (314) 657-1515
Mold Contamination
-
CSB Residential Indoor Property Inspections
Connects St. Louis City residents with inspectors to look for interior building code violations, including mold or water intrusion.
Phone: (314) 622-4800
-
Environmental Protection Agency
Do-it-yourself instructions for identifying, cleaning, and treating indoor mold.
Asthma
-
St. Louis Children’s Hospital Healthy Kids Express
Brings a team of asthma experts to underserved area schools and provides free asthma education for caregivers of asthmatic children.
Phone: (314) 330-6576
-
St. Louis Department of Health - Child Asthma Services
Provides home assessments to find asthma triggers, school education programs, and general assistance.
Phone: (314) 657-1475
-
Asthma Equity Explorer
Free online tool that researchers can use to conduct analyses of social, economic, and environmental impacts on asthma within the context of geography.
-
Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services
Collection of resources and information on managing asthma and making asthma medication more affordable.
-
Asthma & Allergy Foundation of America
Collection of information and resources on managing asthma and allergies.
-
American Lung Association
Information and tools on managing asthma and its symptoms.
Help line: (800) 586-4872
Illegal Dumping & Other Neighborhood Nuisances
-
St. Louis Neighborhood Improvement Specialists
Community advocates that identify and address issues, connecting citizens and neighborhood groups with the resources need to remedy problems in their ward. Contact your NIS to report vacant properties that pose a nuisance.
-
St. Louis City Police Department
If you see someone illegally dumping, safely collect identifying information (photographs, license plate number, etc.) and report them to the police non-emergency phone number.
Phone: (314) 231-1212
-
Citizen’s Service Bureau (CSB)
City-run service to report nuisance conditions and request assistance. Contact CSB to request inspections of vacant properties that pose a nuisance.
Phone: (314) 622-4800
Vacant Properties
-
St. Louis Neighborhood Improvement Specialists
Community advocates that identify and address issues, connecting citizens and neighborhood groups with the resources need to remedy problems in their ward. Contact your NIS to report vacant properties that pose a nuisance.
-
Legal Services of Eastern Missouri
LSEM’s Neighborhood Vacancy Initiative helps low-income homeowners with beneficiary deeds and title clearance to prevent and reduce vacancy and property abandonment, and represents neighborhood associations dealing with vacant nuisance properties.
Phone: (314) 256-8778
-
STL Vacancy Collaborative
Coalition of community members, private and non-profit stakeholders, and City agencies committed to reducing vacant property in St. Louis.
-
Citizen’s Service Bureau (CSB)
City-run service to report nuisance conditions and request assistance. Contact CSB to request inspections of vacant properties that pose a nuisance.
Phone: (314) 622-4800
Air Quality
-
Metropolitan Congregations United (MCU)
MCU’s AirWatch Program monitors and reports air pollution levels throughout St. Louis City and County. You can participate in this program by requesting an air monitoring system to install outside your residence or visit their website to check the air quality in your area.
-
EPA Air Now
Provides information on local air quality and a searchable map of government-run air quality monitors, showing locations and results.
Food Insecurity
-
Community Action Agency of St. Louis County
Operates drive through food bank in collaboration with St. Louis Area Food Bank and operates Seeds of Home Farm in Spanish Lake.
Phone: (314) 863-0015
-
STL Food Bank
Provides free or reduced-price food or meals as well as a map that shows your nearest food pantry or free food event.
-
Food Outreach
Provides free, dietician approved meals for people living with HIV or cancer who live at or below 300% of the Federal Poverty Level.
Phone: (314) 652-3663
Tenants’ Rights and Rental Assistance
-
Legal Services of Eastern Missouri
The Tenant Toolkit provides legal information about housing rights, templates for key communications with landlords, tips and best practices when seeking and securing a rental property, and other resources.
-
Community Action Agency of St. Louis County
Provides financial assistance with down payments, rent payments, and mortgage payments for those who meet income qualifications.
Phone: (314) 863-0015
-
Mercy Neighborhood Ministry
List of rent and other assistance programs.
-
ArchCity Defenders
In-depth “Pro Se” guides to help people dealing with courts, evictions, and landlord-tenant issues.
Home Repairs
-
Citizens’ Healthy Homes Repair Program
Provides essential home repair assistance to qualifying low to moderate income homeowners living in the City.
Phone: (314) 657-3888
High Home Energy Costs & Utility Bills
-
Low Income Weatherization Assistance Program (LIWAP)
Provides weatherization assistance to eligible Missouri residents who need help improving their home’s energy efficiency. Operated by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.
Phone: (855) 522-2796
-
Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
Provides financial assistance to eligible Missouri residents who have trouble paying their energy bills. Operated by the Missouri Department of Social Services.
Phone: (855) 373-5636
-
Missouri Energy Burden Explorer
Map showing relative energy burdens in Missouri, by census tract. Search by address to see the energy burden in your community.
-
Mercy Neighborhood Ministry
List of utility, rent, and weatherization assistance programs.
-
U.S. Department of Energy
Do-It-Yourself Instructions for improving energy efficiency and reducing energy costs in your home.
-
Community Action Agency of St. Louis County
Provides weatherization assistance, energy and water bill assistance, and other programs designed to help pay for housing, improve life skills, and reduce food insecurity for those who meet income qualifications.
Phone: (314) 863-0015
-
Ameren’s Community Savers Program
Provides free energy assessments to low-income homeowners and renters, evaluating how homes use energy and potentially installing energy efficient upgrades.
-
Heat Up / Cool Down St. Louis
Provides financial assistance with energy costs for those who qualify.
Phone: (314) 241-0001
-
City of St. Louis
Description goes hereList of utility assistance programs.
Greening Your Neighborhood
-
Missouri Department of Conservation Seedlings Program
Provides low-cost tree and shrub seedlings to assist individuals in planting greenery around their residence.
Available from September 2 – April 15, or until they sell out.
-
St. Louis Bike Works
Provides free bicycles to children in need, after completing a free bike safety and maintenance program, getting children started on a healthy lifestyle using alternative transportation.