Under the Dome - April 12, 2024

Join us on Under the Dome, the insightful podcast from Empower Missouri, where we share our century-long pursuit of fostering evidence-based public policies aimed at ending poverty. In this episode, our Advocacy Director Sarah Owsley, Criminal Justice Policy Manager Gwen Smith-Moore, and Affordable Housing Policy Manager Misha Smith share about the week before in Jefferson City.

Gwen shares her experiences in the audience of the first-ever TED Talk held in a Missouri prison and celebrates the unanimous committee vote backing our Clean Slate House bills. We shift our attention to affordable housing through the lens of the land bank bill proposed by Representative Owen. While the bill, if passed, holds promise in extending communities' capacity to establish land banks and repurpose neglected properties for affordable housing, we weigh the potential oversights and abuses. We also delve into critical issues surrounding land banks, home ownership accessibility, and the broader spectrum of affordable housing. We stress the importance of anti-gentrification language in land banks and highlight how these entities can introduce vital community infrastructure while ensuring no unjust property seizures. Finally we discuss Source of Income protection and why landlords should join us against discrimination.