St. Louis Moves to Tie Homeless Winter Aid to Cannabis Revenue

For the first time, St. Louis residents facing freezing temperatures will have a dedicated revenue stream behind their emergency shelter access. The city’s Health and Human Development Committee advanced a bill on Thursday that links the city’s cold-weather homeless response to the proceeds from its local marijuana tax. This move shifts funding away from the general budget, which has previously covered the program in varying amounts, toward a specific source tied to consumer sales.

The protocol, known as Code Blue, was funded by $3 million in Rams settlement funds during its first winter last year. This year, the city allocated $2 million from its general budget to keep the program running. The new legislation proposes using the city’s 3% tax on marijuana sales to cover the costs. Alderwoman Alisha Sonnier, who introduced the bill, noted that the tax generated approximately $1.5 million in revenue last year. She described the proposed funding as a floor rather than a ceiling, allowing the board to appropriate additional funds if necessary.

Sonnier argued that the current funding model forces the city to gamble on annual budget negotiations. She stated that every year, officials must hope a Code Blue line item appears in the budget and that the elected officials in office possess the will to maintain it. The bill text asserts that this stop-and-go funding leaves shelter providers, hospitals, and health workers unable to plan staffing and services with confidence from one season to the next.

When temperatures fall below freezing, the protocol triggers the opening of hundreds of extra beds across various shelters. If temperatures drop to 25 degrees or lower, additional beds become available, and the city activates special bus routes and rally points for transportation. The measure also extends the protocol to other extreme weather events, such as dangerous heat or natural disasters, and requires that at least one shelter accommodate people with pets.

About 50 residents attended the Thursday committee meeting, including social workers, student volunteers, and homeless advocates. More than two dozen people spoke during the public comment period, all in support of the measure. Anthony Pulliam, one of the speakers, asked the committee why the city builds bombs to destroy lives but not shelters to save them. Many attendees expressed a desire for permanent housing solutions but viewed the dedicated funding as a positive step.

Christina Sterman, a housing specialist at Gateway Housing First and an early advocate for the protocol, told the committee that the turnout was encouraging. She reported that fewer people died last year because of the program and noted that the city had not seen 600 beds available on the coldest nights since the Larry Rice shelter closed. Sterman emphasized that people should not depend on luck to survive the winter.

The bill is scheduled for a second reading before the full Board of Aldermen on Friday, with further discussion expected in the coming weeks.