ST. LOUIS, Mo. (First Alert 4) - St. Louis City is developing a plan to disband some homeless encampments, with the goal of connecting people to services before clearing a site. City leaders say it won't happen immediately.

The draft includes a risk-scoring system to help decide which sites may be cleared. Encampments would be scored on a 100-point scale, and sites rated high or critical could be considered for disbanding.

If the city approves disbanding a site, the draft calls for 21 days of outreach. If clearing is then approved, the draft calls for a seven-day notice and daily outreach. The draft does not say where people would go after a clearing.

Encampment resident reacts

Kevin lives at the homeless encampment at 10th and Cass. He has called it home since 2024.

 Just because we're not in a conventional house or apartment, we still have a home. This is what we call our home,  Kevin said.

He continued,  If you stay in your neighborhood, you wouldn't want your yard to look that bad. So you get out there and clean your yard. This is our yard. 

Kevin told First Alert 4 he helps new arrivals to the encampment.

 Step one, you're homeless, you got to have somewhere to go. Come here,  Kevin explained.  We work with to make sure that everybody has a Missouri ID, birth certificate or Social Security card, because you need those three documents to do anything. 

 But this is not to get stuck here,  Kevin said.  I'm trying to make it to where for the future you get in because of some ailment, but you get out. Don't become stagnated. 

Asked if he wants to see the encampment closed and residents relocated to a more permanent shelter, Kevin said,  I would love to see them relocated to a permanent shelter. But is there a place for a permanent shelter for them to go to? 

First Alert 4 Investigates asked St. Louis Mayor Cara Spencer where people would go if an encampment is closed.

 It's a challenge,  Mayor Spencer explained.  We do recognize that many times when encampments are disbanded, folks go somewhere else. And that often means they're somewhere else in the St. Louis region. 

Dr. Ad
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