housing market

Overland Park City Council voted last week to amend the city's development code and set a height limit for apartments in the city’s highest-density multifamily zoning areas. It spurred a heated discussion about the philosophy of housing in the fast-growing Johnson County city.

The nonprofit Community Housing of Wyandotte County has plans to build a 24-unit complex in Rosedale, with rents lower than the area has seen in years. But development got stalled after some neighbors raised concerns about parking and traffic problems.

Demand for homes in Kansas is high, but construction of new homes has been slow for more than a decade. Kansas saw a significant drop in home construction after the Great Recession, contributing to a housing shortage today that drives up prices.

Advocates say homelessness in Kansas is mainly caused by a lack of affordable housing, not issues like mental health. Efforts to increase housing stock have built thousands of new units, but it’s not enough, and some communities oppose new developments.

The influx of soccer fans to Kansas City is expected to hike prices for short-term rentals, possibly pushing up rents and making permanent housing less affordable. But if Kansas City officials use the opportunity to invest in affordable housing, experts see a chance for long-term benefits.

The federal government says new safety standards and building materials mean home buyers priced out of site-built houses have viable options. As storms become stronger and more frequent, experts are tempering expectations.

New federal rules will adjust Section 8 subsidies so that Kansas City families can gain access to neighborhoods they've been essentially shut out of, including downtown neighborhoods like Quality Hill and midtown neighborhoods like Hyde Park.

A group of Kansas City homeowners sued the National Association of Realtors in 2019 over what they said were inflated commission fees. The powerful trade group, which denies wrongdoing, agreed in March to pay $418 million in damages and to adjust its commission practices, which could transform the way Americans buy and sell homes.

The Kansas City housing market is tight. Lower-interest mortgages signed during the pandemic discourage homeowners from moving on and taking on higher rates, and new construction isn't keeping up with the demand.

The Missouri Building Codes Act, introduced by Rep. David Casteel, would establish baseline standards for building, electrical, mechanical, plumbing, property maintenance and other activities associated with construction or renovation.

In Kansas City's increasingly tight housing market, large investors continue to buy up homes in the area and convert them into rental properties. It forces prospective local homebuyers to compete against out-of-state corporations.