Date: March 5th, 2025 To: Rep. Dean Van Schoiack, Chair, and members of the Special Committee on   Rural IssuesFrom: Misha Smith, Affordable Housing Policy Manager, Empower MissouriRe: Opposition to HB 595 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...Read More

Date: March 3rd, 2025 To: Sen. Rusty Black, Chair, and members of the Local Government, Elections, and Pensions CommitteeFrom: Misha Smith, Affordable Housing Policy Manager, Empower MissouriRe: Opposition to HB 595 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...Read More

In 2024, 770,000 people were experiencing homelessness in the United States—an 18% increase from 2023. This is almost 1 million people without homes. And while policymakers from every level of government—federal to local—are working on solutions, we continue to underfund the one solution that would end the homeless epidemic: more housing. The reasons behind this...Read More

Empower Missouri condemns the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) ruling in Johnson v the City of Grants Pass. The heart of the case centered on the question: “Is it considered cruel and unusual punishment to ticket, fine, or arrest people who are sleeping outdoors, even if there are no shelter options available?” In...Read More

“Homelessness is a profound assault on dignity, social inclusion and the right to life. It is a prima facie violation of the right to housing and violates a number of other human rights in addition to the right to life, including non-discrimination, health, water and sanitation, security of the person and freedom from cruel, degrading...Read More

Date: April 4th, 2024To: Chair Narayan, and members of the Public Safety Committee – City of St. LouisFrom: Eric Reiter, Community Justice Practicum Intern, Empower MissouriRe: Our support for re-envisioning the Workhouse Since our founding in 1901, Empower Missouri has advocated for a vision in which all Missourians have food, shelter, and justice. Because of...Read More

Last year, Vee Sanchez, Affordable Housing Policy Manager, provided an excellent overview of land banks and how they can be a part of the solution to address our affordable housing crisis. As the affordable housing shortage grows in Missouri, we need to take serious steps in addressing how we view the causes of homelessness, lack...Read More

Date: March 13, 2024To: Chairwoman Mary Elizabeth Coleman & Members, Senate Health & Welfare CommitteeFrom: Sarah Owsley, Advocacy Director, and Empower Missouri StaffRe: Opposition to SB 1336 Empower Missouri believes a Missouri without homelessness is possible. We convene a statewide coalition supporting the advancement of evidence-based public policy to increase the availability of affordable housing...Read More

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...Read More

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...Read More