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.

Kansas City last passed an overarching development policy in 2014. Officials say priorities — and the city's needs — have changed since then.

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.

This week, Jackson County assessment director Gail McCann Beatty fielded questions from the legislature about this year’s problematic property assessments, which saw the value of properties increase by an average of 30%.

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.

For years, residents at Quality Hill Towers in Kansas City have watched maintenance requests pile up, including infestations of bed bugs and other pests. With the help of KC Tenants, 53 residents unionized this summer to pressure their landlord, Sentinel Real Estate Corp., to make long-needed improvements.

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.

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.

Kansas City's new and returning lawmakers take their seats this week on city council — and on the committees that decide what ultimately goes up for a vote. Here's what you need to know about how that process works, and what councilmembers are likely to tackle first.

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.

Transgender people are complaining about gender discrimination within some housing shelters in St. Louis and St. Louis County. Transgender people and housing advocates say shelter staff aren’t complying with updated federal housing policies and are denying people shelter because of their gender identity.