housing shortage

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.

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.

Rent prices in Nebraska have increased 29% over the last seven years, and experts say wages are not keeping up. Nebraskans are finding temporary fixes to housing costs.

Missouri and Kansas laborers unions float a potential affordable housing solution — investing pension money in projects that would also provide paid workforce training — that’s been done in other cities.

The Bryant School has sat vacant since 2009. KCPS wants to convert it into workforce housing — if they get a proposal that neighbors and teachers can support.

Fran Sutton is reshaping Wyandotte County’s housing landscape by turning vacant lots — purchased from the land bank — into affordable homes that cater to a variety of needs.

The city of Gardner, Kansas, last month banned camping in public spaces, including in parks and staying overnight in cars, threatening fines and jail time. Advocates say that penalizes people for "having nowhere else to be," and doesn't actually solve the issue.

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.

The proposal would allow renters to pay their monthly rent in multiple payments so long as all is paid in full and on time.

Kansas City adopted stricter energy conservation codes in 2023, hoping that neighboring cities would follow its lead. Instead, it may have become a competitive disadvantage, as Kansas City saw a drop in building permit applications while its neighbors saw big spikes.

The projects use community land trusts to sell homes at a reduced price and keep them affordable in the future. Habitat for Humanity of Kansas City is using the real estate tool to build entire neighborhoods that aim to help address the state’s affordable housing shortage.

Joplin officials recently passed an ordinance banning the practice after noticing out-of-state vehicles dropping off homeless people. Columbia adopted a voluntary ride home program. But with homelessness rising, rural areas lack the resources to help residents.