housing shortage

Students at Ruskin High School in south Kansas City have the newest Teacher of the Year in Missouri — and they’re not surprised. Hear from them about why their teacher came out on top. Plus: The number of people experiencing homelessness in Kansas fell this year, but President Donald Trump recently ended federal funding for programs that provide permanent housing with no strings attached.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order ending federal funding for Housing First programs that offer permanent housing without requiring mental health or drug services. Homeless advocates say it could undo their work.

The Unified Government could vote this week on an ordinance that would make it illegal for people to sleep outside on public and private property. But without a single overnight shelter in Wyandotte County, community groups say the crackdown will only worsen conditions for unhoused residents.

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.

Critics of the affordable housing tax credit argue it is costing Kansas too much money. But supporters say it's helping construct new homes amid a housing shortage that’s driving up the costs of homes and contributing to homelessness.

Kansas City’s new streetcar has spurred the construction of more than 1,400 new apartment units along Main Street since 2017. These are some of the highlights, including historic renovations and new buildings.

Kansas has a lack of housing in both rural and urban areas. The bill would focus on areas with “minimal building activity.”

As the cost to buy a home continues to rise in the Midwest, real estate experts say the regional rental market offers affordable housing options and biding your time before buying may be the smart move in 2025.

More than 1,000 bills have been introduced in the Missouri General Assembly this session, but only a few will get passed and signed by Gov. Mike Kehoe. Housing, taxes and right-to-work proposals are all on the table.

For 35 years, NourishKC has fed Kansas City’s unhoused population, people down on their luck or anyone who has needed a hot meal — and they're especially busy during the holiday season. Through that work, the nonprofit is also helping to develop a culinary workforce.

After Lenexa shot down Johnson County's plan to build a low-barrier homeless resources center, commissioners voted to use those federal funds instead on several other housing initiatives — including a Habitat for Humanity project and support for a cold weather shelter.