Editing East St. Louis, Illinois (section)

===21st century===

Since 2000, the city has completed several redevelopment projects: in 2001 it opened a new library and built a new city hall. Public-private partnerships have resulted in a variety of new retail developments, and housing initiatives. The [[St. Louis MetroLink]] light rail connects the city by transit to St. Louis, which has a stronger economy, and such efforts have sparked renewal.

Because of depopulation, the city has many abandoned properties and extensive urban blight. Sections of "[[urban prairie]]" can be found where vacant buildings were demolished and whole blocks have become overgrown with vegetation. Much of the territory surrounding the city remains undeveloped, bypassed by developers who chose more affluent suburban areas. Many old "[[inner city]]" neighborhoods abut large swaths of [[Maize|corn]] and [[soybean]] fields or otherwise vacant land. In addition to agricultural uses, a number of truck stops, strip clubs, and semi-rural businesses surround blighted areas in the city.

Over 2,200 people, or over 12% of the remaining population, live in public housing owned by the East St. Louis Housing Authority. All of these residents make less than $9,000 per year, meaning the Authority is highly dependent upon state and federal funding to continue operating its aging housing stock.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-04-11 |title=Public housing in East St. Louis to get $26 million upgrade over next 5 years |url=https://www.stlpr.org/economy-business/2023-04-11/public-housing-in-east-st-louis-to-get-26-million-upgrade-over-next-5-years |access-date=2024-11-12 |website=STLPR |language=en}}</ref>

In 2010, the East St. Louis [[community garden]]ing movement began to develop plots for "urban farming", as has been done in North St. Louis.<ref>[http://www.eastsidegardens.webs.com Eastside Gardens], Official website  {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120216033914/http://www.eastsidegardens.webs.com/ |date=February 16, 2012 }}</ref> Inspired by [[Detroit]]'s planned use of vacant land for green development, community associations, nonprofits and universities have collaborated to spark green development in East St. Louis.{{Citation needed|date=March 2017}}