Section 1

From the Communications Office of Governor Mike Kehoe





Section 2

Mike Kehoe Missouri Governor
Governor Kehoe Recognizes United Effort to Support St. Louis Recovery as One-Year Anniversary of EF-3 Tornado Approaches





Section 3

*FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE*

*May 12, 2026*

*JEFFERSON CITY, MO *– As the one-year anniversary of the devastating May 16, 2025, tornado that heavily damaged St. Louis approaches, Governor Mike Kehoe today recognized the state, local, and federal efforts to help the city recover.

“From the moment the deadly tornado touched down, the State of Missouri’s assistance to St. Louis has matched the spirit of the residents who rallied to support neighbors and rebuild in the aftermath of the tragic loss of life and tremendous adversity,” *Governor Kehoe* said. “As a proud product of North St. Louis City, I am particularly appreciative of how our state agencies, the Missouri General Assembly, and local nonprofits and businesses continue to come together to support the people of St. Louis.”

The state and federal recovery effort totals well over $350 million, and includes:


* $147 million in FEMA and state assistance went to over 9,400 St. Louis City households for temporary housing, home repairs, replacement of essential property, and the repair and rebuilding of public infrastructure.
* An additional $23.8 million in state funds for direct assistance to St. Louisans impacted by the tornado for home repairs, rental assistance, and temporary housing through a state appropriation to the Missouri Housing Trust Fund.
* The State of Missouri’s unprecedented budgetary commitment of $100 million in designated funding for St. Louis’ recovery, including for the demolition and removal of debris from private property in the city’s tornado destruction zone, and $1.25 million to the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis, Inc. for direct relief to victims.
* The recovery of over $46 million by the Missouri Department of Commerce and Insurance on behalf of insured Missourians who were initially denied payments by insurance companies. 
* A total of $36.4 million in low-interest loans from the U.S. Small Business Association to homeowners, renters, and businesses in the City of St. Louis that were impacted by the tornado.

The state government built Missouri's first-ever Private Property Debris Removal (PPDR) program from scratch to remove debris from private property and clear the way for the removal of FEMA-eligible severely damaged homes. Working with the City of St. Louis, the team has navigated mandatory environmental safeguards, including the abatement of hazardous materials like asbestos and lead, to ensure that demolition does not compromise air quality or public health. Seven specialized contracts have been secured, including three for demolition and debris removal, a dedicated monitoring service for strict site oversight, and three consulting agreements to meet historical preservation requirements.

Through May 7, 2026, SEMA has received 109 demolition packets for properties in the St. Louis City Private Property Debris Removal program. SEMA will continue to review these submissions as they are received from the city.

For non-FEMA eligible tornado-damaged properties, $10 million in state funding from Senate Bill 1 was allocated to the city for a pilot project to cover demolition costs for 120 properties along major street corridors.

“Debris removal is underway and we recognize the multiple barriers and obstacles that our team has overcome in this process. In an area where many families did not have insurance and many properties did not qualify for federal assistance, it was critical for us to find a path forward to rebuild and make progress,” continued *Governor Kehoe*. “On behalf of my office and our state agencies, I want to thank Mayor Spencer and city partners, as well as Missouri’s federal delegation and FEMA for their continued efforts to make St. Louis whole again, and even better than before.”

 

Missouri’s response and recovery efforts over the past year have also included ongoing coordinated support across numerous state departments and agencies:

*Public Safety and Emergency Response*

The *Department of Public Safety*, *State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA)*, and *Missouri State Highway Patrol* coordinated emergency response operations, managed FEMA recovery programs, supported infrastructure repair projects, and assisted thousands of impacted residents. Missouri Task Force 1 conducted structural searches and assessments immediately following the storm, while the Missouri Structural Assessment and Visual Evaluation (SAVE) Coalition helped inspect more than 6,700 damaged structures across St. Louis.

The *Missouri National Guard* deployed engineer teams to assist with debris collection, transportation, and removal operations throughout impacted neighborhoods.

 

*Housing, Cleanup, and Infrastructure Recovery*

SEMA and the *Office of Administration* partnered to implement Missouri’s first-ever Private Property Debris Removal program, helping build the path toward clearing debris and demolishing unsafe structures while coordinating recovery operations with local and federal partners.

The *Department of Natural Resources* provided regulatory flexibility and technical assistance to help ensure debris removal efforts were conducted safely and efficiently, including support related to hazardous materials and asbestos inspection.

The *Missouri Housing Development Commission* committed significant housing resources to support displaced residents, with more than 240 households already receiving assistance through community service providers.

 

*Family and Community Support Services*

The *Department of Mental Health* deployed the Behavioral Health Strike team and Show Me Hope crisis counselors to provide immediate and ongoing psychological support for impacted residents in shelters, disaster assistance centers, and throughout the community.

The *Department of Social Services *secured federal approval to replace SNAP benefits lost during the disaster, resulting in more than $1.6 million in benefits reissued to over 9,200 Missourians.

The *Department of Revenue* operated a mobile office, which assisted over 300 impacted residents with driver license and motor vehicle documentation.

The *Department of Labor and Industrial Relations* and the *Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development* assisted displaced workers through disaster unemployment assistance and workforce recovery efforts tied to cleanup and rebuilding projects.

 

*Consumer Protection and Insurance Assistance *

The *Department of Commerce and Insurance* continues assisting storm victims navigating the insurance claims process. In 2025 alone, the department recovered a record $46.2 million statewide on behalf of Missouri consumers through mediation efforts and provided direct assistance to thousands of impacted residents at recovery events across the region.

 

________________________________________________________________________

As the one-year mark of the devasting tornado approaches, it is common for people to experience an increase in anxiety, fear, fatigue, grief, and more. The Disaster Distress Helpline (DDH) is free, confidential, and available 24/7 via text or telephone call for anyone experiencing distress or needing additional support. The DDH can be reached at 1-800-985-5990. To find local crisis counseling visit MoShowMeHope.org. [ [link removed] ]

*###*







Section 4

Governor Mike Kehoe


About Governor Mike Kehoe

Mike Kehoe was sworn in as Missouri’s 58th Governor on January 13, 2025. Guided by a dedication to public service and a commitment to Missouri families, Governor Kehoe has made public safety, education, economic development, and agriculture the cornerstones of his administration.






Section 5

________________________________________________________________________



Contact: Gabby Picard

Communications Director

Mobile: 573-536-6566 [ tel:5735366566 ]

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.governor.mo.gov [ [link removed] ]







________________________________________________________________________

  STAY CONNECTED
Follow us on Twitter [ [link removed] ] Visit us on Twitter [ [link removed] ] Sign up for email updates [ [link removed] ]
  SUBSCRIBER SERVICES:
Manage Your Profile [ [link removed] ]   |   Unsubscribe [ [link removed] ]   |   Help [ [link removed] ]
________________________________________________________________________

This email was sent to [email protected] using GovDelivery Communications Cloud on behalf of: Office of Governor Mike Kehoe · PO Box 720 · Jefferson City, MO 65102 · (573) 751-3222 GovDelivery logo [ [link removed] ]
body .abe-column-block { min-height: 5px; } table.gd_combo_table img {margin-left:10px; margin-right:10px;} table.gd_combo_table div.govd_image_display img, table.gd_combo_table td.gd_combo_image_cell img {margin-left:0px; margin-right:0px;} table.govd_hr {min-width: 100%;} p, li, h1, h2, h3 { overflow-wrap: normal; word-wrap: normal; word-break: keep-all; -moz-hyphens: none; -ms-hyphens: none; -webkit-hyphens: none; hyphens: none; mso-hyphenate: none; }