PURPOSEAre you passionate about housing justice and want to make a real impact in Missouri? EmpowerMissouri is looking for an Affordable Housing Intern or Practicum Student to support advocacy,education, and organizing efforts to expand access to safe, affordable housing. Interns andpracticum students will gain valuable experience in community outreach, public policy, andcoalition-building. ESSENTIAL DUTIES &...Lee mas

Homelessness is in the news again as communities across Missouri conduct a one-day “point-in-time count,” a brief snapshot of individuals experiencing homelessness throughout our state. While it is too early to know the trends for all of Missouri, it is clear from initial reports that many Missourians are still struggling with homelessness. The most effective...Lee mas

The Charles Ellwood Graduate Fellowship program, named for one of Empower Missouri’s founders and earliest Presidents, will offer 1-2 recent graduates a fully immersive, year-long, paid fellowship to gain valuable experience in policy research, community education and organizing, and advocacy communications.  KEY RESPONSIBILITIES Research & Policy Support Conduct research on nonprofit organizations, legislative issues, and...Lee mas

When Congress returns in January, the U.S. Senate will face a series of votes that will determine the future of federal housing programs Missourians rely on to stay housed. In late December, Senate leaders made progress in negotiations to prevent a February shutdown. The negotiations focused on an early January vote on a “minibus” bill...Lee mas

Homeless prevention programs are the latest anti-poverty program under threat from the federal government. On November 13th, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced that it would disregard the existing two year planning process (2025-2026) and require homeless prevention programs to reapply for funding for 2026. This change, announced only seven weeks before...Lee mas

If you’ve felt like rent keeps rising faster than paychecks, you’re not imagining it. Federal rental assistance—Housing Choice Vouchers (HCVs), public housing funding, homelessness programs, and key state and local tools like HOME and Community Development Block Grants (CDBG)—are the bedrock that help low-income Missourians stay housed, even as rent goes up.   Right now, Washington...Lee mas

Across rural Missouri, tenants face moldy ceilings, unfair rent hikes, and investor landlords that benefit from no one pushing back. But when neighbors get organized, they can win repairs, stop harassment, and make housing safer and more affordable for everyone.  Empower Missouri created “Standing Together: A Simple Guide to Tenant Organizing in Small Towns and...Lee mas

Empower Missouri strongly condemns President Trump’s Executive Order (EO) on “Ending Crime & Disorder on America’s Streets.” The order is riddled with misleading statements, prejudicial language, and outright lies about our neighbors who are unhoused. We seek to correct this misinformation and encourage our partners to stand ready to mitigate, and then be prepared to...Lee mas