Urbanism and Pros and Cons of Gentrification

KC topics that don't fit anywhere else.
tower
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Re: Urbanism and Pros and Cons of Gentrification

Post by tower »

moderne wrote:Most post WWII lots are way too huge. But how can areas developed like that be infilled?
Accessory Dwelling Units (granny flats). The city can also incentivize people to split up the lot when rebuilding by banning extra large houses.

The problem is that to incentivize ADU's or splitting lots, our land prices would need to be higher.
flyingember
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Re: Urbanism and Pros and Cons of Gentrification

Post by flyingember »

moderne wrote:Most post WWII lots are way too huge. But how can areas developed like that be infilled?
I know of a really good example. Works great for a row of lower value homes, like they weren't built with good quality materials or have repair costs way more than the home is worth. Plenty of homes have termite damage, rot, foundation issues to the point that you can quickly be into the home more than it will sell for.

Go to Wichita St at Chenevret St in Houston. Look at the NE corner, specifically at Wichita in Google street view. there's older views from 2011 available.

In terms of distance, this is like our near east side. It's near their train so think of someone just east of Troost who could bike to the train on Main.

That block was entirely suburban style homes a few years back. It went from 5x homes to 15x between two projects. It's still market rate single family homes, a common concern of neighborhoods that density will be low quality apartments in a neighborhood of nice houses.

They didn't build 5 story apartments set back 10 feet from the curb that tower over everything. You can find blocks of town homes nearby and they planted trees to screen the size from view.

Go visit N. Oak Village and see how well dense row homes work next to single family homes. This is a neighborhood of $250-350k homes and they've all sold. People are ok with a tall row home next to them when they're built nice to fit the neighborhood.

The key thing, is what does this do for home affordability? Unlike N. Oak village, target zoning (density rules is a part of zoning) to increase the supply of homes at your mid-range by building new homes at $175-225k and help keep existing homes from appreciating in price so much. We can build more 2 and 3 bedroom homes that are smaller. Not every house needs a 14x14 living room, a kitchen big enough to hold an island for 8 people and four bedrooms.
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warwickland
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Re: Urbanism and Pros and Cons of Gentrification

Post by warwickland »

chrizow wrote: Fri Jan 26, 2018 1:41 pm To echo one of chaglang's points, i think the effects of gentrification in KC are more felt among renters than buyers. It has always been true, even in KC, that folks will seek out "marginal" areas so their money will go farther in buying a home, which can result in these neighborhoods becoming more desirable (see Central Hyde Park, which is almost 100% rehabbed and homes are pretty pricey).

But renters often have fewer options. The effects are really being felt in the lower economic strata - I can't find it right now but there was an article in the KC Star about this in the last year or so--I remember it chronicled a family who lived east of downtown (like 8th and Prospect, or something) whose rent was like $450 and it was being jacked up to $650. $200 isn't a lot to folks in higher income brackets but that's basically a 50% rent increase for a struggling family who was barely making it already.

In midtown, there is no question that rents have gone way up over the past decade or so. Anecdotally, I am sure all of us have either rented apartments/houses, or had friends renting apartments/houses, in midtown that were huge, awesome, and cheap. (e.g., probably 10 years ago some good buddies of mine had a full floor, 3-bed apartment near the Westport post office. It was probably 2,000 sq ft and they literally paid something like $600 per month) Now unless you are lucky or have a connection, you're looking at probably $750 minimum for a 1-bed in midtown and probably another $300 per additional bedroom. Long-time renters in midtown are seeing themselves either priced out, or are basically just waiting for the inevitable.

Again, anecdotal, but among my friends, relatives, and acquaintances who one would peg for "midtowners" (circa 10+ years ago) (artists, musicians, bartenders, non-profiteers, eccentrics, whatever) many of them moved to Old NE, east of Troost, KCK, etc. years ago.
since im planning a trip to kansas city for my birthday, i've been looking at streetview this afternoon of kc, and my old haunts, and playing on kcrag of course.

i paid 400 for a studio apt in good repair at the bucolic southern end of warwick that was walkable to the plaza (and westport), but remember being quite aware that i was really "overpaying a lot" since i didn't live in a two/three bedroom colonnade or whatever with roommates. my last rent check was december 2006...i remember walking it to an office in westport, trudging through SNOW.
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