The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has awarded $24 million to St. Louis County to aid community betterment projects in distressed areas.
The award was announced Wednesday in Clayton by HUD Secretary Julian Castro. He also announced another $2.4 million to help north St. Louis County communities damaged by tornadoes and storms in 2013.
The $24 million from HUD's Community Development Block Grant program will establish a loan pool for things such as housing improvements, entrepreneurship support and increasing transit options.
St. Louis County Executive Steve Stenger says much of the money is expected to go to north St. Louis County, including Ferguson, where economic disparity became a focal point during unrest that followed the fatal shooting of Michael Brown by a police officer last year.