City Of Kansas City: Revised Land Bank Dollar Home Sale Aims To Create Affordable Housing

Press release from the City of Kansas City:

12/15/2021 4:30 PM

NEWS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Dec. 15, 2021 As part of ongoing efforts to create more affordable housing options in Kansas City, the city plans to revise and reissue a Request for Proposal (RFP) to sell its vacant property owned by the Land Bank for $1 each. The owners would need to fully rehabilitate the properties, eliminate all blight, and create affordable housing options. Major changes in this new version of the RFP include: approximately 3,000 vacant lots will be added to the sale, in addition to the vacant homes in the original RFP

potential financial support to be provided by the City to support development work

removes the requirement to provide social services “The feedback we received during the first RFP process was that these properties require additional resources to remediate, but also that the many vacant lots owned by the city are equally as urgent to develop,” said City Manager Brian Platt. “We also didn’t have American Rescue Plan stimulus funds when we issued the initial RFP.” New housing created on these parcels must meet the following criteria: Income restrictions of at least 80% of AMI or less (market rate may be permitted depending on community feedback)

Style and design of housing is subject to neighborhood review and approval

For rent or ownership models, with ownership models preferred and at least a 30-year affordability period for rental properties

Single family preferred, but multi-family may be permitted depending on community feedback and size of parcel

Integrate well with the neighborhood (must fit with existing size and architectural style)

City subsidy of up to $10,000 per housing unit, based on need and availability of funds This RFP must first be reviewed and approved by the Kansas City Land Bank, and the terms and condition of the RFP may change based on that review process. The next Land Bank meeting is Jan.10 and the RFP will likely be released shortly thereafter. “Our goal is to listen to neighborhood residents to make sure that these properties are redeveloped in a way that successfully turns vacant homes or lots into owner-occupied homes, and that these new homes remain affordable for the people who already live in the neighborhood,” said LaDonna Gooden, who was recently appointed to the Land Bank Board by Mayor Quinton Lucas. This is another step the city has taken in the last year to address the national houseless crisis. Those steps include: Allocating $12.5 million to the City’s first affordable housing trust fund

Incentivizing the creation of affordable housing units and other housing options within larger market-rate multifamily development projects.

City Council approval and funding for the Tenants Right to Counsel, which will provide free lawyers for tenants facing eviction

Distributing $14 million in emergency rental assistance funds to more than 3,400 households in Kansas City. On average, households received $4,400 to help pay back rent and utilities.

Created and funded partnership with the Housing Navigation Center, which has converted a former hotel into 39 rooms with supportive services onsite to help unhoused people move to permanent housing

With community input, developing a “Vision for Housing” that outlines the plan to create 10,000 new affordable housing units by 2027.

Establishing a new Housing and Community Development Department with the city’s first employees dedicated to homelessness prevention and support, tenant advocacy and affordable housing creation and preservation.

Constructing affordable housing on city-owned property in creative ways, such as the plan to incorporate affordable housing units into the reconstruction of the Barney Allis Parking Plaza. Media can contact Maggie Green, Media Relations Manager, at 816-379-6562.

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