Beyond Housing President and CEO Chris Krehmeyer writes why, after 50 years of transformation, the organization’s future and those it serves are in jeopardy.
This year, Beyond Housing is commemorating our 50th year of impact in serving low-income families and under-resourced communities in North St. Louis County.
In what should be cause for celebration and a renewed focus on the future, various culminating factors are forcing us to focus on our short-term survival.
As is often the case, the majority of these forces are economic in nature.
As we saw with the COVID pandemic and the Great Recession in 2008, the poorest in our region are the hardest hit by any crisis. This crisis is no different. Though no one has officially declared it, and the U.S. is not technically in a recession, I can confidently say that what we are currently witnessing and experiencing firsthand in North St. Louis County is indeed a crisis situation.
In nearly 40 years of doing this work, which has included multiple recessions and a global pandemic, I have never seen a more perfect storm than the one we currently face—all in a year that marks our organization’s 50th anniversary.
While the majority of us have felt the sting of inflation to some degree, low-income families like those that Beyond Housing serves have been especially and disproportionally impacted. The majority of these families live at or below the poverty line with little cushion in their budgets. Many families who were once making strides forward in their financial stability are now struggling to pay rent and utilities and cannot afford to buy milk and eggs.
These rising costs also severely impact Beyond Housing’s ability to operate and serve at a time when the need has never been greater. As with most nonprofits, our revenue is down significantly due to the impact of inflation on our donors. At the same time, the cost of doing this work has never been higher. Construction costs are up substantially. The cost of insuring our more than 600 affordable rental homes and other commercial property has nearly tripled.
The Wall Street Journal also reports that consumer debt in Q4 of 2024 hit an all-time high. This, combined with a wave of recent layoffs and retail and restaurant closings, paints a stark picture for the months ahead.
Furthermore, the unprecedented rollout of policy changes from the new administration adds further strain and uncertainty. Cutting or delaying funding could be the difference between providing or not providing vital support for families and children.
What’s especially troubling about this crisis is that it puts all of the gains that we, members of the 24:1 Community, and our many partners and supporters, have worked so hard for so many years to achieve in jeopardy. As a community—and a region for that matter, we cannot afford to start over.
This work has never been more needed. Our work is what stands between families being housed or homeless. It’s the difference between a family having full access to the opportunities that our country has or living paycheck to paycheck and only a moment away from disaster. It’s also the firewall that prevents further decline in our region and a way forward for our entire community.
Given the severity of this situation, Beyond Housing will be hosting food drives and providing utility assistance in the weeks ahead to prevent these families from falling further behind. But we can’t do it alone.
As we celebrate 50 years of progress and transformation, my hope is for all our friends and partners, both past and present, to come together and encourage others to join us so that we may continue forward in creating a stronger St. Louis—once and for all.
St. Louis, we need your help now more than ever. If you are a recent donor, I am asking that you please consider increasing your donation and accelerating your gift this year. If you are a past supporter, please know that your support makes a real difference and is especially needed at this critical time. If you have never supported our work, there’s no better time to join us. To everyone, please help spread the word.
Please visit beyondhousing.com/helpnow to donate and help us stand between this crisis and those we serve at this perilous time.
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