St. Louis Hosts German Cohort to Exchange Best Practices in Affordable Housing

In April 2024, the St. Louis Development Corporation (SLDC) hosted Dialogues for Urban Change, a global network comprised of three German cities — Munich, Berlin and Frankfurt — and three American cities —  Seattle, Atlanta and St. Louis.

The United States has an operating model of how affordable housing is funded in cities across the country. Germany has a different model. This cohort provides the opportunity to partner with Germany  — and other U.S. cities — to learn from each other.

“It's important for us to learn best practices from other countries and cities around how they are leveraging their city departments and public sector partnerships to drive private investment,” said SLDC President & CEO, Neal Richardson.

During the cohort’s week-long visit to St. Louis, tours were taken of Loretta Hall Park, the Carr Square community and Preservation Square. The cohort also attended the groundbreaking ceremony for the Crossroads Senior Living Project, which is bringing 64 newly constructed units and affordable housing for older adults in the Bevo Mill neighborhood.

To view highlights and perspectives from the cohort, watch the video below.