It is my firm belief that housing is a human right—one that we have a collective responsibility to ensure. Taking that seriously requires us to think about how we mitigate the damage and, through policy, organizing, and mutual aid, to create a system that puts the value and dignity of human life at the center.

A conversion is when a building that previously offered several naturally affordable housing units is rehabbed into a large, expensive single-family home. Families that lived there before can no longer afford it and the number of available housing units overall is reduced, further limiting attainable housing options. Where is this happening in St. Louis?

We cannot discuss affordable housing in the St. Louis region without considering race.