Housing

In many Midwestern cities, even those without camping bans, officials are more aggressive with removing encampments from public spaces. People experiencing homelessness say they’re moving frequently and experiencing anxiety.

When Kansas City voters cast their ballots in the Aug. 4 election, Question 1 will ask whether the city can issue $100 million in bonds to fund affordable housing projects. Find out about what the Housing Trust Fund has accomplished in the past and what this bond would do.

ReStart Inc., a nonprofit homelessness services provider, converted a vacant midtown Kansas City hotel into short-term furnished apartments for families experiencing homelessness. The Family Lodge is a 45-unit complex with on-site social services to support families in their transition to permanent housing.

More people signed on to run Airbnbs, VRBOs and other short-term home rentals in anticipation of an influx of visitors. With more places in the market, occupancy rates actually went down — but prices went up.

The apartment complex off North Lawn Avenue has been on the city’s radar for more than three years, when a city deal subsidized rents in exchange for repairs at the property. But after further neglect, the city is once again stepping in after demands from the complex’s tenant union.

Experts say affordable housing and a lower cost of living are driving people back into the Midwest. Plus: Many farmers are worried whether they'll see a profit this year thanks to high supply costs.

Of the 12 states counted as the Midwest by the U.S. Census Bureau, eight are seeing modest growth from domestic migration. Four are seeing a decline in the number of people moving in from other parts of the country.

Financing affordable housing is difficult, but a new Kansas City Regional Housing Fund backed by local foundations hopes to create or preserve thousands of homes across the nine-county area. A similar fund in Cleveland offers an early look at what to expect.

Permits in the Kansas City metro area rose 5.7% in May, and they're up nearly 67% compared to a year before. The increase comes after Kansas City eased some of its energy efficiency requirements that developers say raised building costs.

The city previously made a deal to subsidize rent at the apartment complex in the Historic Northeast in exchange for repairs. Conditions at the property have gotten worse, and the city is considering stepping in once again to make it habitable.

Missouri Rep. Mark Alford is running for reelection in the newly redrawn 4th congressional district. He joined KCUR’s Up To Date to discuss the war in Iran, the bipartisan housing bill that President Trump has refused to sign, the Supreme Court’s birthright citizenship ruling and more.

A new tax credit could help fill financial gaps for projects and ease housing shortages in the region. The office buildings must be in a downtown or central business district area, and 25 years or older, but converting them into apartments isn't cheap.