Date: March 12, 2024To: Chairman Brown and members of the Senate Emerging Issues CommitteeFrom: Misha Smith, Affordable Housing Policy Manager, Empower MissouriRe: Opposition to HB 2062 Founded in 1901, Empower Missouri is the largest anti-poverty advocacy organization in the state. As part of our work, we convene a statewide Affordable Housing Coalition every month. This...Lee mas

Issued and enforced during rare and extreme instances of community-wide crises and emergency, eviction moratoria (plural of moratorium) are a short term intervention federal, state and local government can employ to prevent the level of community destabilization that mass layoffs, mass evictions, and sudden, widespread homelessness would cause. In simple terms, an eviction moratorium prevents...Lee mas

For the last few years, I have written about the topic of local control as it pertains to the St. Louis City and Kansas City Police Departments, pushing back against state legislators who want to take control of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and expand their control over the Kansas City Police Department. However,...Lee mas

On behalf of the staff, board, and statewide Criminal Justice Coalition convened by Empower Missouri, I am here today to oppose the bills referenced above. I am also a lifelong resident of and long-time homeowner in the City of St. Louis.  First and foremost, there is simply no logical explanation for pursuing this type of...Lee mas