housing market

One Kansas bill earned bipartisan support for encouraging easier processes for building “middle housing." But another would ban cities and towns from passing laws that require landlords to accept federal housing vouchers.

Kansas City Council voted to relax some controversial portions of its building code that builders said made it harder to build affordable housing — or anything. Over the past few years, the city has seen a drop in new home construction compared to surrounding cities and suburbs, but the standards aren't the only reason.

Habitat for Humanity of Kansas City is building entire neighborhoods of affordable housing in Kansas. The nonprofit is using a real estate tool known as a community land trust to ensure the homes remain affordable forever. Plus: The USDA's "Climate Hubs" have helped farmers adapt to a changing climate, but their funding may be in jeopardy.

Kansas City is seeing an influx of short-term rental applications from residents interested in hosting their property during the FIFA World Cup. The city opened up special permitting in December that allows people to host short-term rentals from May 3 to July 31.

The tax credits are meant to provide relief for the contested 2023 assessments, which led to skyrocketing property taxes. They previously did not apply to homeowners who had agreed to a new rate after an appeal.

A majority of Jackson County homeowners will see a reduction in their property assessment this year and tax credits for the next three years. But that doesn’t necessarily mean a smaller tax bill.

Efforts in Barton County may offer a blueprint for solving a housing shortage across Kansas. The county commission has tapped economic development funds and other resources to help housing developments in three communities.

Some of the country's highest home insurance prices are in the central U.S., a region generally considered to be protected from climate-driven disasters such as wildfires and hurricanes.

The vote comes after years of tax increases have incensed Jackson County residents. It was the only charter county in Missouri to appoint, rather than elect, its assessor.

Latinos are expected to be 70% of net new homeowners in the U.S. by 2040. Several local programs — mostly in Spanish, but some in English — are designed to help Latinos jump the hurdles that can stand between them and homeownership.

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.

Through June, 34,690 residential properties were sold in the state — the lowest number for half a year since at least 2015. Meanwhile, the median selling price of Missouri homes was the highest on record.