Housing

Cientos de complejos de departamentos — con menos de 20 unidades — han desaparecido del mercado de Kansas City porque los propietarios deciden que es más barato demolerlos que arreglarlos. Esto representa un gran golpe para el conjunto de viviendas económicas de la ciudad.

Una "pueblerina" de Midtown a la que se le ha privado de su medio de transporte. Una jubilada con ingresos fijos que se ve obligada a dejar su hogar de 17 años. Los inquilinos de Kansas City se enfrentan a una subida sustancial en sus rentas de alquiler, con graves repercusiones.

Demand for housing has skyrocketed during the pandemic, but homebuilders and remodelers haven’t caught up because of labor shortages and long wait times for raw materials, tripling the timeline of some housing projects.

When a Kansas City renter was taken to court by her landlord under false claims, she filed a countersuit and won more than $17,000. What does this mean for the future legal relationships between property owners and renters?

Nearly two years since the pandemic first hit and Kansas City leaders shared action plans, unhoused residents say their needs are still unmet — and the approaching cold weather means there's a lot at stake.

Kansas City is quickly losing its small apartment buildings, which could make the city more expensive and less inclusive. Plus, many arts and music venues are bouncing back after receiving federal aid, but some must close their doors for good.

The Kansas City Land Bank is supposed to revitalize neighborhoods. But a Beacon investigation found that the Land Bank has potential conflicts of interest between board members and buyers, and fails to hold buyers accountable to its own requirements. The result: Properties sit vacant for years.

Hundreds of apartment complexes — those with less than 20 units — have disappeared from the Kansas City market as landlords decide it's cheaper to demolish than fix them up. But losing these buildings is a huge blow to the city's affordable housing stock.

At the home she rented on East 83rd Street, Sabrina Davis' microwave burned up, she got shocked when using the garbage disposal and was also shocked while unplugging a replacement microwave oven.

Homelessness in urban areas is often visible on city sidewalks or public encampments. In rural Kansas and Missouri, unhoused people often go unseen — and unhelped. Plus, Missourians voted to expand Medicaid in 2020, making government-provided health insurance available to tens of thousands of low-income residents. But the change could also mean more layers of bureaucracy for hospitals.

First-time homeowner Kenneth Jenkins said he is questioning his decision to buy a house because of Kansas City's strict code enforcement.

On any given night, an estimated 943 people in rural Kansas and 1,569 people in rural Missouri are homeless. But the actual numbers are likely far greater.