City of St. Louis Board of Alders pass Board Bill 41 in support of CDCs, Awaits Final Approval & Mayor Signature

St. Louis takes an important step toward strengthening neighborhood-based community development as the City of St. Louis passed Board Bill 41 with overwhelming support (BOA: 14 yes, 1 present). The bill now awaits final passage (third reading) and the Mayor's signature before becoming law.

Sponsored by Alderwoman Alisha Sonnier and co-sponsored by Alderwoman Daniela Velázquez, Alderwoman Jami Cox Antwi, and BOA President Megan E. Green, the legislation establishes the City's first formal framework for defining, certifying, and prioritizing CDCs for City partnership and investment.

This bill recognizes the essential role CDCs play in neighborhood revitalization, from developing affordable housing and supporting small businesses to addressing vacant property, strengthening commercial corridors, and improving quality of life. By creating consistent standards for certification, BB41 is intended to improve transparency, accountability, and coordination between the City and the nonprofit organizations leading community development efforts.

The advancement reflects months of collaboration and advocacy from community development organizations across St. Louis and with other peer cities. Many CBN members participated in drafting discussions, engaged with their alderpersons, submitted feedback, and attended committee hearings and Board meetings to demonstrate their support. The perfection of BB41 represents an important step toward a stronger partnership between the City and the CDCs working every day to build healthier, more resilient neighborhoods.

We're grateful to everyone who helped make this possible, especially our dedicated, CDCs and Civic Capacity Committee, SLDC, community leaders and all our members and partners who showed up throughout the process. We look forward to continuing to work with City leaders and our members as the legislation moves toward final passage.

The CDC Standards Framework and Board Bill 41 are connected, but they are not the same. The CDC Standards Framework is a sector-developed best practices resource created by CBN and community partners to strengthen community development organizations. Board Bill 41 establishes the City of St. Louis' process for recognizing and certifying Community Development Corporations for municipal purposes.

The legislation was informed by the Framework, but it represents one application of those standards within City policy. The Framework itself remains broader than certification and serves as a resource for organizational development across the region.