Alderman | Shane Cohn

Good Deeds for St. Louis!

Trusted Leadership for St. Louis

About

About Shane

He has served as Chair and Vice Chair of several committees at the Board of Alderpersons, including the Neighborhood Development, Parks and Environmental Affairs, and Transportation & Commerce. During his Chairmanship of Neighborhood Development, he stopped all tax abatement bills before the committee until the Administration committed to a more equitable framework for providing incentives and additional funding for the City’s understaffed planning department. During his time as Chair of Transportation & Commerce, he is committed to protecting and growing one of the city’s most critical public assets – our airport.

Community Service and involvement is important to Shane. Over the years, he’s been involved with, or served on the Boards of many non-profit organizations, including Planned Parenthood, Pride St. Louis, The National Conference for Community and Justice – St. Louis, Gateway 180, St. Louis Crisis Nursery, St. Mary’s High School, Gateway Men’s Chorus, and the LGBTQ Community Center. He also currently serves on the Planning Commission, the Port Authority, and the Airport Commission.

Shane is proud to reside in Dutchtown with his partner, and in his spare time enjoys cooking, baking, gardening, travel and learning! Always looking forward to connecting with neighbors - new and old - on matters that are important to them.

Shane has been a neighbor and active resident of the Dutchtown community for over twenty years. He served as 25th Ward Alderman since 2009 and initially elected as 3rd Ward Alderperson in 2021. Subsequently, Shane earned and maintained the trust and confidence of voters being re-elected in 2023 and 2025. Prior to being elected, Shane served on the Boards of Dutchtown South Community Corporation (DSCC), and the Downtown Dutchtown Business Association (DT2 – now Dutchtown Main streets).

Shane is the first and longest-serving openly LGBTQ+ elected in St. Louis City government. During his tenure at the Board of Alderpersons, Shane has been one of the most productive, creative, and solution-oriented legislators. He was the first Alderperson to sponsor and pass local drug reform (marijuana decriminalization), a Complete Streets policy for St. Louis, and the minimum wage increase in the City of St. Louis #RaiseTheWage. He also updated the city’s non-discrimination policy to include gender-identity and expression.

Focus

Shane's Focus

Helping Tornado-impacted Families

Creating one-point access for critical records and probate documents

RECA Document Portal

Helping St. Louis families affected by radioactive exposure access records for federal reimbursement claims

Protecting Our families

Ensuring all records and legal documents are handled with dignity and equality

Modernizing access to public records

Making services easier, faster, and more transparent

Protect Against Property Fraud

Creating free property fraud alerts, which notify you of any recorded documents & regularly monitor property tax and utilities for irregularities.

Establish Basic Estate Planning Assistance for Seniors

Partner with law clinics to have access for city-based Seniors to help with estate planning.

Breaking the status quo and bringing best practices to the office to ensure professionalism and accountability

Shane's Accomplishments

Earmarked funds for Board of Elections to update voting equipment to allow “vote anywhere” capabilities

Partnered with Gene Slay’s Boys and Girls Club to open new recreation facility in Dutchtown to serve families in Dutchtown, Mt Pleasant, Carondelet and Gravois Park.

Partnered with community organizations, advocacy groups, and neighbors on the development and implementation of the Louisiana Calm Street project – the first to be implemented in St. Louis.

Partnered with DSCC and other organizations on the development and implementation of the Gravois-Jefferson Historic Neighborhoods Plan

Sponsored two National/State Historic Districts in Carondelet and Dutchtown

Partnered with neighbors to create and sponsored the largest Community Improvement District in Missouri – The Dutchtown Community Improvement District

Creation of the Dutchtown Special Use District

Expanded St. Louis Port Authority boundaries to include portions of Dutchtown

Invested over $1M into neighborhood parks

Partnered and supported creation of St. Joseph Housing Initiative to provide quality, affordable home ownership opportunities

Advocated for Dutchtown to be part of violence interruption pilot program (Cure Violence)