Kansas City Seeks To Create Innovative Affordable Housing Options By Converting Vacant Buildings

Press release from the City of Kansas City:

August 2, 2021

City seeks to create innovative affordable housing options by converting vacant buildings

The City of Kansas City, Missouri, is expanding its work to provide affordable housing for residents at the lowest income levels and for those who are currently homeless. As a part of the vision to generate 10,000 affordable units by 2027, the City has launched a program to convert existing buildings like vacant schools, nursing homes and even hotels/motels into homes for Kansas City unhoused and housing insecure residents.

As a first step, City Manager Brian Platt issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) to acquire properties. By converting existing properties such as hotels, schools, and old nursing homes, the city envisions creating up to 500 new, affordable housing units across the city.at a lower cost and faster rate than building new units.

“We need to think creatively and act quickly to provide housing to those most in need here in Kansas City ,” Platt said. “We are thankful for the council’s support and guidance, but also for their desire to take action.”

Last week City Council authorized up to $2.5 million of funds to be appropriated for this use, in addition to $12.5 million just allocated to the City’s first affordable housing trust fund and a recent
announcement of an $8.3 million award from Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

This year the city provided temporary housing for the unhoused for 98 nights, using hotel rooms across the city while also providing essential social and rehabilitation assistance through our partner social service organizations. At its peak, nearly 420 people took shelter in hotel rooms while also receiving medical care, benefits such as meals and vital document recovery, and job assistance.

Some of the positive results achieved from this initiative include:

• 344 people completed a housing needs assessment, which revealed that the vast majority had not previously sought help from social services.
• More than 60 found full-time or part-time employment.
• Nearly 30 transitioned to more permanent housing programs.
• There were 14 life-saving or serious medical interventions, including HIV and chronic illness diagnosis.
• 30 acquired vital documents like birth certificates, ID cards, etc.
• 35 enrolled in benefits (Medicare/Medicaid SSI) and more than 100 were helped with improving benefits and resources.

Affordable housing is a critical need for Kansas City residents facing homelessness and housing insecurity. Platt’s strategic plan to generate housing solutions has been outlined in “A Vision for Housing.” Comments and feedback are welcome now through Aug. 12.

The plan includes the goal of creating 10,000 affordable homes and apartments in the next five years using a combination of strategies including:

• Tiny home communities
• $1 Land Bank homes rehabilitation
• Building affordable homes on vacant city lots
• Including affordable housing in new private multifamily developments
• Social housing developments on city-owned property
• Repurposing underutilized/unused facilities and converting them into housing (the focus of this RFP)

The plan was created in partnership with the City Council, the unhoused and housing insecure population, and The Greater Kansas City Coalition to End Homelessness.

For more information, media can contact John Baccala at (816) 513-3202 or John.Baccala@kcmo.org.

This press release was produced by the City of Kansas City. The views expressed here are the author’s own.