Rachel Russell has lived in the Rosedale neighborhood of Kansas City, Kansas, for about a decade. She originally rented a house with her partner and three children, but rent got too expensive. Russell’s family had to move to a smaller apartment complex nearby.
That experience inspired Russell to get more involved with housing advocacy in the city when she heard about a new development proposed near her house. The 24-unit complex would offer low rents that are more affordable than the area has seen in years.
Mission 43 would be developed and managed by Community Housing of Wyandotte County, a nonprofit that’s been building homes in the area for decades, and it fits squarely within Rosedale’s master plan. The neighborhood wants to encourage affordable housing, infill buildings and apartments along major corridors — all of which the Mission 43 development achieves.
But after months of going back and forth with the city’s planning commission, the development faces an uncertain future. Although it’s received a lot of support from residents and city staffers, some neighbors have remained opposed to the project because of height, traffic, and parking concerns.
This week, the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas’ board of commissioners will decide whether to approve a zoning change so CHWC can build Mission 43.
Russell says this smaller complex, run by a local developer, is an opportunity for more people to obtain housing and stay in Rosedale. And it’s a stark contrast to the luxury apartments that have recently gone up in the area.
“This is a project that blends many funding sources and opportunities to actually make housing affordable and attainable to people like myself, who maybe aren't at the very low end of the spectrum, but also don't want to spend all of our rent and utility monies on where we live,” Russell said.
Mission 43 would have a mix of one, two and three-bedroom apartments ranging from about $670 to $970 in rent. A person who makes minimum wage working for the Unified Government would qualify for one of the subsidized units at the complex.
To build Mission 43, CHWC has to rezone a lot that’s sat vacant for years on the corner of Mission Road and West 43rd Avenue. The planning commission approved the proposal unanimously at its Aug. 12 meeting.
But it hit a roadblock with the full board of commissioners, which sent it back to the planning commission later that same month with concerns about parking and traffic management.
KCUR reached out to the Unified Government planning commission and board of commissioners for comment.
Unified Government commissioner Christian Ramirez, who represents the 3rd District encompassing Rosedale, said he cannot talk about the proposal because the board is a "quasi-judicial body."
"I have to listen to all testimony and make an informed decision after all testimony," Ramirez wrote in an email.
Megan Painter, CHWC’s director of neighborhood development, is in charge of bringing projects like Mission 43 from start to finish.
In response to the feedback, CHWC made an agreement with the neighboring duplex to use six of its parking spots for its future residents. The nonprofit is also working with traffic engineers to only allow right turns onto the property, potentially reducing the chance of car crashes
Painter says the group also did a lot of community engagement about Mission 43, including throwing a block party. Among the attendees were some residents who were opposed to the project.
“After I spoke with them, they said, ‘I was planning on chewing you out, but now that I know who you are and what the project really is, I will sign a letter of support,’” Painter recalled. “We really were able to reach our neighbors.”
At the latest Unified Government planning commission meeting on Oct. 14, eight people spoke in support of Mission 43. Four spoke out against it, including Fred Postlewait, who lives next door to the proposed site.
“I’ve seen this corner develop, change, get better, get worse over the last 77 years,” said Postlewait, who is currently running as a Republican for the Kansas State Board of Education. “This is an ill-conceived project designed to cause problems for the neighborhood.”
Postlewait opposed the project because it’s three stories tall and does not fit the rest of the neighborhood. He also believes it would bring additional traffic to the busy street, potentially causing accidents, and wouldn't have enough parking for residents.
He circulated a letter to people who live around the site, asking them to contact commissioners.
"THERE IS NOTHING TRADITIONAL IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ABOUT A 3 STORY BUILDING AT THE CORNER OF 43RD AND MISSION RD," the letter reads.
Gayle Bergman lives less than a mile from the Mission 43 site. There’s currently construction on her block to build two single-family homes and another apartment complex much bigger than CHWC’s 24-unit building. She thinks all the change is good for Rosedale, and makes the neighborhood more walkable and transit-friendly for everyone.
Bergman thinks Mission 43 will help people stay in Rosedale who might otherwise be priced out and is also a good option for aging residents who can’t maintain their homes. But Bergman says her support for the project has caused some tension in the neighborhood.
“I really love my house, but I don't think I should get to dictate what other people do with their property to a certain extent,” Bergman said. “It’s as if, because I own a home, I'm supposed to not want anything to change, but I don't live in a museum. I don't think our neighborhood should be frozen in amber.”
The city’s planning commission ultimately signed off on the revised plan. Now it heads back to the full board of commissioners for approval, and Painter is optimistic about the vote this time.
It has the support of city staff, and Painter thinks Mission 43 is the only way to execute affordable housing on this plot of land.
“If you're not in a home already, if you are not in an ownership position already, you have missed the boat,” Painter said. “If we can give people a chance to not get in over their heads with their housing, that is going to make our city a better place to live.”
Russell could see her family living in Mission 43, where they could upgrade from their current two-bedroom apartment to a more affordable three-bedroom.
Living there would place the family within walking distance of her son’s school, a grocery store and some of the city’s biggest employers. In addition to making public comments at the planning commission meeting, Russell says she emailed her commissioners in support of the proposal.
Russell believes that more housing in Rosedale is worth “a little bit of inconvenience at a busy intersection.”
“I think this development provides an opportunity for folks in our community to thrive and to see something that we maybe haven't seen before,” Russell said. “Change sometimes is uncomfortable. But I hope that people see the opportunity here to say Wyandotte County is open to change and we're also open to supporting our neighbors.”
The Unified Government board of commissioners will take up Mission 43’s rezoning application at its meeting Wednesday, Oct. 30 at 7 p.m.