ST. LOUIS—A grant program designed to use more than 30 million dollars in American Rescue Plan Act funds to revitalize North St. Louis communities remains in limbo. 

St. Louis Comptroller Darlene Green issued a report Wednesday that suggested a pause and a reboot to address concerns with how the program is functioning. The St. Louis Development Corporation (SLDC) is under fire for how it awarded the ARPA funds, none which have been distributed yet.  The agency admitted the selection process was flawed, that mistakes were made and promised more transparency.

Green addressed the issue again Wednesday during a Board of Estimate and Apportionment meeting, telling attendee Mayor Tishaura Jones it is an “urgent matter.” She said her office issued a preliminary risk assessment to the St. Louis Development Corporation (SLDC) including recommendations she believes the department needs to take. 

SLDC president and CEO Neil Richardson said his office received the report and added “The report is riddled with errors, false allegations and misconceptions about SLDC’s administration of the program and appears to be based solely upon media reports, anecdotal discussion and the Comptroller's flawed understanding of the program.” 

Jones said she looks forward to reviewing the program with the comptroller’s office and “clearing up many of the misconceptions” she has about the program. 

The mayor pointed to the recently released transparency portal as a place where Green could get some of her questions answered. 

The portal was released last Friday and contains the applications for the program as well as information about the program’s review process. The applicants include child care facilities, bars, churches and others. Some applications detail how the money will be spent while other left that area blank.

Jones said, “What we are not going to do is start this program over, like your report recommends.”

The St. Louis Development Corporation says it will hold off on distributing any more of the money until the issues are clarified.

Richardson added in his statement that it is “disheartening” that Green’s office would release a report of this nature without giving SLDC the opportunity to review or respond. Jones stressed Green wait to issue a final report until both sides could meet.