On November 20th, 2019, SLACO Board President Sundy Whiteside accepted the Community Planning Champion Award on from the American Planning Association’s St. Louis Metro chapter.

The Vacancy Collaborative (VC) is a coalition of partners committed to the reduction of vacant property as a top priority in St. Louis. Reducing the negative impact of vacancy is a complex puzzle, that requires coordination to achieve a shared vision.
 
The VC is not a stand-alone entity, but a coalition of community representatives, private and non-profit stakeholders, and City agencies. The VC helps to coordinate existing vacancy efforts under one umbrella and encourages the public and private sectors to work together toward solutions in a comprehensive and coordinated way.