Tornado de mayo deja al descubierto la crisis de viviendas vacías en St. Louis

san luis, saint louis, st louis, missouri

2025-10-23

El tornado de mayo en St. Louis dejó al descubierto una profunda crisis de viviendas vacías en el norte de la ciudad, complicando la recuperación y resaltando años de abandono urbano y falta de inversión.

<h1 dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.7999999999999998;text-align: center;margin-top:12pt;margin-bottom:12pt;"><span style="font-size: 20pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 700; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">May Tornado Exposes St. Louis’s Deep Housing Vacancy Crisis</h1><span style="font-size: 13pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">ST. LOUIS — Tras el devastador tornado del 16 de mayo que azotó el norte de St. Louis y destruyó decenas de viviendas, las autoridades locales prometieron reconstruir las comunidades afectadas.<span style="font-size: 13pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> <span style="font-size: 13pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> <span style="font-size: 13pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 700; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">After the devastating May 16 tornado tore through north St. Louis, destroying dozens of homes, local officials pledged to rebuild the battered communities.<span style="font-size: 13pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">La alcaldesa Cara Spencer, quien ha hecho de la retención de población una prioridad en su administración, reafirmó su compromiso con mantener a los residentes dentro de la ciudad.<span style="font-size: 13pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> <span style="font-size: 13pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> <span style="font-size: 13pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 700; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Mayor Cara Spencer, who has made reversing population decline a key focus of her administration, reiterated her commitment to keeping residents within the city.<span style="font-size: 13pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Sin embargo, nuevos datos obtenidos por el <span style="font-size: 13pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Post-Dispatch<span style="font-size: 13pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> revelan que cientos de las estructuras dañadas por la tormenta ya estaban vacías antes del desastre.<span style="font-size: 13pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> <span style="font-size: 13pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> <span style="font-size: 13pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 700; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">However, new data obtained by the Post-Dispatch reveal that hundreds of the structures damaged by the storm were already vacant before the disaster.<span style="font-size: 13pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">El análisis del periódico muestra que alrededor de 1,175 edificios —aproximadamente la mitad de los catalogados como “gravemente dañados”— probablemente estaban desocupados en los días previos al tornado. Otros 280, clasificados como “moderadamente dañados,” también se encontraban vacíos.<span style="font-size: 13pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> <span style="font-size: 13pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> <span style="font-size: 13pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 700; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The newspaper’s analysis shows that about 1,175 buildings—roughly half of those classified as “severely damaged”—were likely unoccupied in the days before the tornado. Another 280, listed as “moderately damaged,” were also vacant.<span style="font-size: 13pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Muchos de esos edificios ya habían sido condenados o transferidos al banco de tierras de la ciudad, lo que complica la reconstrucción en los vecindarios más afectados del norte de St. Louis.<span style="font-size: 13pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> <span style="font-size: 13pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> <span style="font-size: 13pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 700; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Many of those buildings had already been condemned or transferred to the city’s land bank, complicating recovery efforts in the hardest-hit north St. Louis neighborhoods.

<span style="font-size: 13pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">El gobierno federal suele negar cobertura para limpiar o demoler propiedades vacías o condenadas antes de un desastre, lo que podría dejar a la ciudad responsable de millones en costos de demolición. Además, la falta de residentes o inquilinos interesados en regresar hace aún menos probable que muchas de las casas sean reconstruidas.<span style="font-size: 13pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> <span style="font-size: 13pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> <span style="font-size: 13pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 700; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The federal government typically does not cover cleanup or demolition costs for properties that were vacant or condemned before a disaster, potentially leaving the city to shoulder millions in demolition expenses. Moreover, with few residents or tenants eager to return, many homes are unlikely to be rebuilt.<span style="font-size: 13pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Por años, las viviendas vacías han sido un problema persistente en los vecindarios del norte, atrayendo vandalismo y desalentando a las familias a permanecer. Ahora, tras el tornado, muchas están en peores condiciones, y los fondos disponibles podrían ser insuficientes para atenderlas todas.<span style="font-size: 13pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> <span style="font-size: 13pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> <span style="font-size: 13pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 700; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">For years, vacant homes have plagued the city’s struggling North Side neighborhoods, attracting vandalism and discouraging families from staying. Now, after the tornado, many are in worse condition—and the funding available may be insufficient to handle them all.<span style="font-size: 13pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Funcionarios de la ciudad, incluyendo a Spencer y al jefe de recuperación, Julian Nicks, reconocen el desafío y aseguran estar presionando a las autoridades estatales y federales para obtener más apoyo.<span style="font-size: 13pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> <span style="font-size: 13pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> <span style="font-size: 13pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 700; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">City officials, including Spencer and recovery chief Julian Nicks, acknowledge the challenge and say they are pressing state and federal authorities for additional support.<span style="font-size: 13pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">El gobierno federal ya ha aprobado fondos significativos para limpiar escombros, y el estado asignó dinero adicional para cubrir los costos no reembolsados. Aun así, la ciudad no tiene claro cuánto dinero será necesario.<span style="font-size: 13pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> <span style="font-size: 13pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> <span style="font-size: 13pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 700; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The federal government has already approved significant debris removal funding, and the state has allocated additional money to cover uncovered costs. Still, the city remains uncertain about how much money will ultimately be needed.<span style="font-size: 13pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">La presidenta del concejo municipal, Megan Green, indicó que se utilizarán todos los recursos disponibles, incluyendo parte de los 250 millones de dólares obtenidos del acuerdo con los Rams de la NFL, para ayudar en la recuperación.<span style="font-size: 13pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> <span style="font-size: 13pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> <span style="font-size: 13pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 700; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Alderwomanic President Megan Green stated that all available resources—including part of the $250 million settlement from the NFL Rams relocation—will be used to support recovery efforts.

<span style="font-size: 13pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Sin embargo, la concejala Laura Keys, que representa el barrio O’Fallon, uno de los más afectados, dijo que la realidad financiera hace difícil mantener el optimismo sobre la reconstrucción.<span style="font-size: 13pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> <span style="font-size: 13pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> <span style="font-size: 13pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 700; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">However, Alderwoman Laura Keys, who represents the hard-hit O’Fallon neighborhood, said the financial realities make it hard to stay optimistic about rebuilding.<span style="font-size: 13pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">En áreas como Fountain Park, los residentes también expresan frustración ante la falta de acción. Ruben Hicks, quien ha vivido más de dos décadas en el vecindario, relató que nueve casas de su calle fueron golpeadas por la tormenta, cinco de ellas marcadas con etiquetas amarillas y cuatro con etiquetas rojas que indican daño estructural severo.<span style="font-size: 13pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> <span style="font-size: 13pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> <span style="font-size: 13pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 700; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">In areas like Fountain Park, residents also express frustration over the lack of action. Ruben Hicks, who has lived in the neighborhood for over two decades, said nine homes on his street were hit by the storm—five marked with yellow tags and four with red tags indicating severe structural damage.<span style="font-size: 13pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Dos de las casas más dañadas ya estaban vacías antes del tornado, y otras habían sido demolidas años atrás. A pesar de ello, Hicks insistió en que la comunidad sigue cuidando el área, cortando el césped y limpiando lotes abandonados.<span style="font-size: 13pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> <span style="font-size: 13pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> <span style="font-size: 13pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 700; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Two of the most heavily damaged homes were already vacant before the tornado, and others had been demolished years ago. Despite that, Hicks said the community continues to maintain the area—mowing vacant lots and cleaning up trash.<span style="font-size: 13pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">El problema de la vacancia no es nuevo. Desde hace décadas, St. Louis ha enfrentado una disminución de población y un aumento de propiedades abandonadas, particularmente en el norte.<span style="font-size: 13pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> <span style="font-size: 13pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> <span style="font-size: 13pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 700; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The vacancy problem isn’t new. For decades, St. Louis has faced population decline and a growing number of abandoned properties, particularly in the North Side.<span style="font-size: 13pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">A pesar de los intentos del gobierno local —como la creación del primer banco de tierras del país y los incentivos para rehabilitar viviendas— la escala del problema sigue superando los avances. Según los últimos datos municipales, existen más de 9,000 edificios vacíos en la ciudad.<span style="font-size: 13pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> <span style="font-size: 13pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> <span style="font-size: 13pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 700; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Despite local government efforts—such as creating the nation’s first city-run land bank and offering incentives to rehabilitate homes—the scale of the problem continues to outpace progress. According to recent city data, more than 9,000 buildings remain vacant.

<span style="font-size: 13pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Las inspecciones posteriores al tornado, realizadas entre el 21 de mayo y el 27 de junio, evaluaron alrededor de 7,000 edificios, asignándoles etiquetas de color según el nivel de daño. Las etiquetas rojas indicaban daño severo, las amarillas daño moderado y las verdes poco o ningún daño.<span style="font-size: 13pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> <span style="font-size: 13pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> <span style="font-size: 13pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 700; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Post-tornado inspections, conducted between May 21 and June 27, evaluated about 7,000 buildings, assigning color-coded tags to indicate damage levels. Red tags signified severe damage, yellow tags moderate damage, and green tags minimal or none.<span style="font-size: 13pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Del total, cerca de 2,100 edificios recibieron etiquetas rojas, 1,500 amarillas y más de 3,400 verdes. Casi el 40% de las estructuras con daños graves o moderados estaban vacías antes del desastre, y unas 382 ya eran propiedad del banco de tierras.<span style="font-size: 13pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> <span style="font-size: 13pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> <span style="font-size: 13pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 700; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Of the total, about 2,100 buildings were red-tagged, 1,500 yellow-tagged, and over 3,400 green-tagged. Nearly 40% of the severely or moderately damaged structures were vacant before the disaster, and about 382 were already owned by the city’s land bank.<span style="font-size: 13pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">A pesar de errores detectados en los datos iniciales —direcciones duplicadas o incorrectas—, los resultados confirman lo que muchos expertos ya sospechaban: la mayoría de las zonas afectadas ya sufrían por abandono antes del tornado.<span style="font-size: 13pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> <span style="font-size: 13pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> <span style="font-size: 13pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 700; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Despite errors in the initial data—such as duplicate or incorrect addresses—the results confirm what many experts already suspected: most of the affected areas were struggling with abandonment long before the tornado.<span style="font-size: 13pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Mientras tanto, residentes como Oscar Brookins en O’Fallon y Consuetta Harris-Jenkins en Greater Ville dicen que, a pesar de los daños y las viviendas vacías a su alrededor, planean quedarse y mantener sus hogares.<span style="font-size: 13pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> <span style="font-size: 13pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> <span style="font-size: 13pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 700; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Meanwhile, residents like Oscar Brookins in O’Fallon and Consuetta Harris-Jenkins in Greater Ville say that despite the damage and vacant homes around them, they plan to stay and maintain their properties.Harris-Jenkins recordó que su familia ha vivido en su casa desde 1972 y la considera un legado familiar. Sin embargo, lamentó que el inmueble vecino, propiedad del banco de tierras y dañado por el tornado, probablemente permanecerá en ruinas durante años antes de ser atendido.
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 13pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: 700; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Harris-Jenkins recalled that her family has lived in their home since 1972 and considers it a family legacy. However, she lamented that the neighboring property, owned by the land bank and damaged by the tornado, will likely remain in ruins for years before being addressed.

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Tornado de mayo deja al descubierto la crisis de viviendas vacías en St. Louis

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