St. Louis Housing, Urban Development, and Zoning Committee Meeting - October 21, 2026

The Housing, Urban Development, and Zoning (HUDZ) Committee of the St. Louis Board of Aldermen met on October 21, 2026, with Chair Clark Hubbard presiding. The committee unanimously approved the minutes from the October 13 meeting and received the St. Louis Development Corporation's (SLDC) annual compliance report. Public testimony addressed transparency and school district consultation, while committee members raised concerns about prevailing wage violations in two projects and the competitive environment for development.

Consent Calendar

• Unanimous approval (5-0) of the minutes from Tuesday, October 13, 2026.

Public Comments & Testimony

• John Reaganbogen, speaking on behalf of the SLPS Parent Action Council, commended the committee's work and the annual compliance report. He urged stronger consultation (not just notification) with St. Louis Public Schools for projects over $1 million, noting that SLPS has no representation on LCRA despite having seats on LRA and TIF commissions. He flagged a recurring issue where Development Proposal Reports are missing from board bills and suggested improvements to the scorecard and financial analysis processes. He also noted that many developments proceed without any abatement, which is positive.
• A second speaker (name not provided in transcript) called for greater public disclosure on all tax-abated projects from the past 10 years, including activation status and specific parcel details. He cited the Fairfield Hotel/Marriott project, which received abatement through a pre-existing redevelopment area, and argued that expensive homes in areas like Lafayette Square and Botanical Heights received abatements they did not need. He recommended more transparency in annual reporting.

Discussion Items

• SLDC Annual Compliance Report: Madeline Bollinger, SLDC Incentive Compliance Manager, presented the mandatory annual report under City Code Chapter 3.160. She detailed the required components: community benefits scorecards, financial analysis, notification of SLPS and labor organizations for projects over $1 million, community engagement for projects over $10 million, and inclusion of clawback provisions in development agreements. She summarized projects approved in 2025:
  • Under $1 million: 5105 Cabini, 1122 Jonas Hubbard Street, 3843 Ohio Avenue.
  • $1–10 million: 4415 Margareta (former Ashland School childcare center).
  • Over $10 million: Amberstones/Tiffany Place (passed by committee October 13), 4500 Washington Avenue (Liberty Hospital rehab), Elliott School, and others. EEZ projects included Sensiate Technologies ($134M expansion) and Triple A Cooper Transportation ($17M). One TIF project (Midtown Public Infrastructure) was also passed.
  • Charts showed a decline in tax-abated parcels from 3,700 in 2016 to 1,500 currently; of 130 projects approved by the Board of Aldermen since 2017, 54 have been completed, 40 are under construction/planning, 15 canceled/stalled, and 21 are in redevelopment areas. For EEZ, 17 of 24 approved by the Board have been activated; for TIF, 5 of 8 approved.
• Committee Q&A on Compliance and Prevailing Wage:
  • Alderman Schweitzer questioned the status of prevailing wage compliance at the “Rail” and “1014 Spruce” projects, whose abatements were activated despite documented violations. SLDC’s Zach Wilson deferred to legal counsel, stating he could not discuss the special agreements. Schweitzer and others pressed for more information and for ensuring underpaid workers are compensated.
  • Vice Chair Sonier revealed that these incentives were activated by former SLDC director Otis Williams despite non-compliance, calling it a parting gift that took the agency out of compliance. He stressed that such actions undermine the ordinances and need to be addressed.
  • Chair Clark Hubbard acknowledged receiving calls about the issue and noted that one affected worker had died before receiving compensation.
  • Alderman Schweitzer and another alderman (from the 9th Ward) discussed competition with surrounding municipalities, which have fewer rules. Wilson noted St. Louis has over 16,000 tax-exempt parcels and 25,000 vacant lots, and that new processes need time to breathe. He emphasized the need for predictability to attract developers.
  • An alderman from the 4th Ward echoed compliance concerns and asked about signage requirements for prevailing wage during construction.

Key Outcomes

• The committee received and filed the SLDC annual compliance report without a vote.
• Multiple members expressed intent to follow up on the prevailing wage violations at the Rail and 1014 Spruce projects, including requesting legal details and ensuring worker compensation.
• The committee excused Alderman Cone for necessary absence, approved by voice vote.
• The meeting adjourned.