affordable housing

This year, the Kansas City area had the highest yearly increase in rent among the 50 biggest cities in the country, according to a new study. Renters now pay an average of $1,044 per month in Jackson County, but wages aren't rising with them.

A Shawnee resident and a property management company sued the city of Shawnee over an ordinance that restricts how many unrelated people can live in a home. But a federal judge said they had no constitutional claim to sue.

PV United, a group opposed to proposals to increase affordable housing in Prairie Village, circulated three petitions that would change the city's government and zoning rules. A judge this week gave an oral ruling on which petitions could appear on the ballot in November, but later contradicted that decision in her written ruling.

Fueled by outrage over efforts to expand affordable housing in Prairie Village, the activist group PV United gathered signatures for three petitions to ditch the city’s current mayor-council form of government and limit construction of multi-family housing. A judge rejected two of those petitions Wednesday afternoon — only to appear to reverse that decision later in the day.

A plan to change zoning laws to allow for more multi-family housing in Prairie Village is dawning sharp opposition from some residents who fear the changes threaten the suburb's "Perfect Village" image.

Prairie Village is as divided as ever as city leaders explore options for affordable housing in the Johnson County suburb. But some residents are pushing back against the plans — and even attempting to overhaul City Council.

The issue of Prairie Village rezoning has left the quiet Kansas City suburb more divided than ever. Now, a group wants to kick out half of the City Council.

The Parvin Estates tenant union is the first of its kind in Kansas City's Northland. Residents say that rents are being raised by 35% after years of neglect, including broken air conditioning and infestations of rodents and insects.

Neighborhood groups are partnering with local legal organizations to sue Whitestone, a Denver-based investment company that owns many properties in Kansas City's low-income areas, for its neglect of several apartment buildings.

This is the second time in five years that property owners in Jackson County have seen dramatic leaps in the county’s assessment of their home’s value. One big reason is that more out-of-state investors are purchasing Kansas City homes to flip them or rent them out — shrinking the supply and increasing prices.

Grassroots tenant union KC Tenants has made affordable housing a top concern in Kansas City. Now, the political arm of the group, KC Tenants Power, has flexed some of its sway in city elections.

In Jackson County, the fee for a landlord to file for eviction is just $62. Researchers found that when filing fees are low, landlords are more likely to file evictions "serially" against the same tenant as a way to collect late rent — rather than as a last resort.