CBN Supports the Passage of Board Bill 22 Allocating Rams Settlement Funds
More than a decade after St. Louis sued the National Football League over the Rams' relocation to Los Angeles, the City has officially begun investing the $255M Rams Settlement following Mayor Cara Spencer's signing of Board Bill 22. The adopted spending plan directs funding to several major priorities, including North St. Louis, including ($120M), implementation of neighborhood redevelopment plans north of Delmar ($31M), tornado recovery housing repair and preservation ($89M), downtown revitalization ($55M), and citywide public infrastructure, including sidewalks, streets, water infrastructure, and vacant property stabilization ($80M). The City also announced immediate investments, including $2.5M for hazardous tree and stump removal and sidewalk repairs that are not eligible for FEMA reimbursement, along with $40M for critical water infrastructure improvements.
As implementation begins, attention is shifting from funding allocations to execution. Community organizations, residents, and advocates are closely watching how projects are prioritized, how resources are distributed, and whether investments align with neighborhood needs. Community advocates continue to raise concerns about the pace and process of implementation. In a statement following the signing of Board Bill 22, Action St. Louis acknowledged the importance of the investment while arguing that tornado-impacted residents and North St. Louis neighborhoods have waited too long for meaningful assistance. The organization described the settlement as an opportunity to advance restorative investment after decades of disinvestment and emphasized that transparency, accountability, and timely implementation will be essential as funds are deployed. CBN will continue monitoring implementation of the Rams Settlement, including funding opportunities, project pipelines, and neighborhood investments, while advocating for transparent processes, coordinated implementation, and meaningful community and CDC engagement.
To help promote accountability, the City has launched a Rams Settlement Transparency Dashboard that tracks Rams Settlement-related contracts approved by the Board of Estimate and Apportionment. The dashboard is intended to provide residents with greater visibility into where funds are being invested and will be updated by the Comptroller's Office as contracts funded with Rams settlement dollars come before the Board for approval, and when funds are officially committed or reserved for specific projects.
