×îÐÂÐÓ°ÉÔ­´´

ST. LOUIS — A community development nonprofit has created a $50,000 fund to help pay off delinquent property taxes for some city homeowners.

The Delmar Tax Relief Fund aims to combat displacement and gentrification by helping homeowners behind on taxes or those impacted by COVID-19 who could become delinquent in paying property taxes, neighborhood group Park Central Development Corp. said in a news release.

The fund will begin accepting applications June 15 from homeowners in the Academy/Sherman Park, Fountain Park/Lewis Place, West End, Vandeventer, and Forest Park Southeast neighborhoods. Park Central estimates that 315 single family homeowners directly north of Delmar Boulevard are delinquent on property taxes.

Park Central expects it will take two weeks to send checks, and the group will make payments directly to the city of ×îÐÂÐÓ°ÉÔ­´´, which levies the property tax. The award amount will vary, but the average award is projected to be from $2,000 to $3,000, said Park Central Executive Director Abdul Abdullah.

The Delmar Tax Relief Fund was established in partnership with technical assistance from 26th Ward Alderman Shameem Clark-Hubbard and funding from Park Central, private donors and Carrollton Bank.