homelessness

Mizzou faculty shared concerns about President Mun Choi's approach to homelessness in downtown Columbia — and pressed him to advocate for gun control laws in Missouri.

After the shooting death of Stephens College student Aiyanna Williams in downtown Columbia, University of Missouri System president Mun Choi demanded the "cleanup of homeless encampments." However, the suspect has no connection to the unhoused community.

The Unified Government could vote this week on an ordinance that would make it illegal for people to sleep outside on public and private property. But without a single overnight shelter in Wyandotte County, community groups say the crackdown will only worsen conditions for unhoused residents.

After a weekend shooting killed a Stephens College student, University of Missouri President Mun Choi sent a letter to state and county leaders criticizing policies that he says "attract criminals to the region." However, Choi could not cite any specifics, and police numbers contradict his claims.

When the Trump administration revoked $2.3 million from a Kansas state agency, it hit rural communities hard. Housing providers already stretched thin closed their doors while others found temporary life rafts, bracing for what's next.

The Sun Fresh at 31st Street and Prospect Avenue is one of the only grocery stores for miles, and has been struggling to fill shelves recently despite 10 years of taxpayer money to renovate it and keep it in business.

Kansas City awarded $800,000 in grants to three nonprofits that serve homeless youth— an effort to protect the metro's at-risk residents and prevent adult homelessness.

More than 7 million veterans nationwide who get medical care through the Department of Veterans Affairs are not eligible for dental care. Dentists are stepping up to address the issue in Kansas City.

The Kansas City Council passed a resolution in 2023 that declared the city a transgender “safe haven,” in response to Missouri and Kansas restricting gender-affirming care. But one community leader says the city hasn’t followed through on that promise with material action.

Advocates for people who are homeless say eliminating the credit will mean it's harder to find affordable places to live. Lawmakers say when they passed the tax credits in 2022, they didn’t realize how much they would cost.

Since 2012, homelessness in Houston has decreased more than 60%. As Kansas City continues its own efforts, the woman who developed Houston's strategy will speak at the Kansas City Public Library next week.

Critics of the affordable housing tax credit argue it is costing Kansas too much money. But supporters say it's helping construct new homes amid a housing shortage that’s driving up the costs of homes and contributing to homelessness.