You’ve likely seen it.
The neighborhood starts slowly changing, and as new faces appear, so do higher property values. Then suddenly, either the tax bill or rent jumps so high that long-time residents can’t afford to stay.
It’s just the thing Kansas City hopes to avoid with its new “Keep KC in Place” initiative. The City’s Housing and Community Development Department just launched the first phase in the form of a survey asking residents about their housing challenges. It’s the first step in developing a citywide anti-displacement strategy following the passage of Resolution 240997 last year.
“The City is committed to ensuring that growth benefits everyone,” states the “Keep KC in Place” initiative overview. “That means helping residents and businesses stay in place.”
The timing couldn’t be more urgent. Kansas City saw the highest rent increase of any major U.S. city in 2023, according to KCUR, with rents jumping over 16% in a single year based on data from Rent.com, and the trend has continued.
For Black families and longtime residents in rapidly changing neighborhoods, these statistics represent a real threat to community stability.
The effects ripple beyond individual households. According to Governing Magazine, several Kansas City neighborhoods have already begun sliding into gentrification since 2000, including Westside, Union Hill, and areas along Troost Avenue.
Mayor Pro Tem Ryana Parks-Shaw sponsored the resolution creating this initiative, with support from Councilmembers Bunch, Bough, Duncan, and Curls.
The resolution outlines a four-pronged approach:
- Predicting displacement risks by tracking neighborhood data
- Preserving affordable housing throughout the city
- Empowering residents through homeownership and tenant protections
- Protecting local businesses and cultural assets
The initiative will explore innovative approaches already working elsewhere. Like how the State authorized 353 Program has been implemented in the city’s Westside neighborhood. The program offers a creative solution by freezing property taxes for longtime lower-income homeowners, allowing them to stay in their community despite rising values.
This survey represents your chance to shape how KC addresses displacement, and it will be open through May 15. City officials will use the data to create policies that keep neighborhoods stable while still allowing for growth.
Make your voice heard today:
Survey link: bit.ly/KeepInPlaceKCFor detailed information on the initiative: kcmo.gov/city-hall/housing or contact askhousing@kcmo.org.
