housing shortage

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.

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.

Prairie Village City Council voted 10-2 effectively ban short-term rentals inside the city, requiring all such properties have a minimum of a 30-day stay. Current owners will need to find a new use for their spaces by Nov. 1, 2025, or face fines of up to $500 per day.

Billions of dollars in development projects will begin construction around Kansas City in the next six months. KCUR's Up To Date spoke with Kansas City Manager Brian Platt about these developments, affordable housing and the latest on the streetcar extension.

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.

Many of the people in Kansas who are homeless do have an income, but housing is simply too expensive to afford a place to live. Plus: Missouri law doesn't clearly IVF, so what's the risk of the procedure being outlawed?

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.

While Lenexa planning commissioners agreed that more homeless support is needed in Johnson County, they faulted the project at the former La Quinta Inn for being a bad fit for the surrounding neighborhood. But the Lenexa City Council will get the final say.

The University of Missouri's Columbia campus plans to admit 6,243 first-year students this fall — an increase of 18% from last year. With limited dorm space, the university is contracting a nearby apartment complex to accommodate the new students.

A point-in-time count by the Kansas Statewide Homeless Coalition found a nearly 7% increased in unhoused residents from last year. The tally has limitations, but it helps local agencies spot gaps and allocate scarce resources.

Federal income caps are excluding many agricultural workers from affordable housing, leaving developments with vacant units and workers without homes.