Our Mission
DeSales Community Development advances the long-term well-being of St. Louis neighborhoods as healthy, diverse communities through affordable housing, historic preservation, property management, and resident-focused support.
Our History
DeSales Community Development was founded in 1976 as DeSales Community Housing Corporation to support reinvestment in the Fox Park and Tower Grove East neighborhoods at a time when St. Louis was facing significant population loss and disinvestment. Formed by neighborhood leaders and guided by a community-based board, the organization began with a one-person staff and a commitment to long-term stability. In its early years, DeSales focused on neighborhood organizing and outreach, helping establish neighborhood associations and promoting the historic character and potential of both communities. In 1980, DeSales led the creation of the Compton Hill Historic District and partnered to rehabilitate vacant buildings, resulting in more than 150 apartments and renewed investment.
In the 1990s, DeSales expanded its role to become a developer and long-term owner of multi-family housing, addressing absentee ownership and increasing affordable housing through the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program. Today, DeSales owns more than 300 market-rate and LIHTC apartments.
In 2004, the organization formed its property management affiliate, Fox Grove Management, which now manages more than 1,600 housing units across the City of St. Louis and University City.
Since 2016, DeSales has broadened its work to include community programs and services that support residents and neighborhood connections.
Today, DeSales remains a steady presence in St. Louis neighborhoods, employing approximately 40 staff members, operating with a $4.1 million annual budget, and governed by a 15-member Board of Directors made up of neighborhood residents, property owners, and business leaders.