Kansas City Land Bank

Kansas City neighborhood groups use a Missouri law to take control of empty homes with the hopes of breathing new life into them. But the law is also being used to buy up cheap houses and sell them for a profit. Plus: This weekend's Chiefs game will see a match up of two elite quarterbacks who can run as well as they can throw.

Missouri's Abandoned Housing Act has paved the way for neighborhood groups to take control of empty homes and turn them back to productive use. But residents fear nonprofits with no interest in improving Kansas City neighborhoods are using the law to buy up cheap homes.

Attorney Julie Anderson, whose term expired in 2020, will be replaced by LaDonna Gooden. Housing advocates had argued Anderson’s role as an eviction attorney undermined her ability to lead an organization tasked with affordable housing solutions.

What's going on at the Kansas City Land Bank? The program's goal is to create more homes and community spaces by selling vacant, tax-delinquent properties. But a recent investigation revealed the Land Bank has potential conflicts of interest and fails to hold buyers accountable.

The Kansas City Land Bank is supposed to revitalize neighborhoods. But a Beacon investigation found that the Land Bank has potential conflicts of interest between board members and buyers, and fails to hold buyers accountable to its own requirements. The result: Properties sit vacant for years.