Is KC Tenants destroying the development future of downtown KCMO?

[atticus23]

Kansas City flunked its Spanish test. A proposed ordinance aims to bridge City Hall’s language gap

One in 20 Kansas City residents have limited proficiency in English. A proposed change would force City Hall to use languages they understand.

https://kcbeacon.org/stories/2024/02/09 ... pretation/

Instead of adding MORE to the city's bloated budget, why don't we focus on helping those folks to become more proficient in English?

So would you rather force people to assimilate to YOUR dominate culture or meet people where they are? In meeting people where they are one has an opportunity to make meaningful connections, foster a sense of trust, and mend communities. All things KC can and should do a better job of.

Rant finished. Back to the topic of KC Tenants destroying or not destroying development futures of KC.

[Highlander]

Are other developed countries like this? Where if a city isn’t just totally rockin economically it just stops being able to function?

KC isn’t even close to the worst example of this; how many bankrupt Detroits does the rest of the first world have?

I lived in Europe for 11 years. Housing is not the huge issue there that it is there. In Europe, you rarely see inexpensive or social housing in the city centers, it's generally in the burbs or at least out of the most economically developed parts of the city but the workers who live in social housing generally have well developed public transport systems to get where they are going and to work.

[im2kull]

Kansas City flunked its Spanish test. A proposed ordinance aims to bridge City Hall’s language gap

One in 20 Kansas City residents have limited proficiency in English. A proposed change would force City Hall to use languages they understand.

https://kcbeacon.org/stories/2024/02/09 ... pretation/

Instead of adding MORE to the city's bloated budget, why don't we focus on helping those folks to become more proficient in English?

So would you rather force people to assimilate to YOUR dominate culture or meet people where they are? In meeting people where they are one has an opportunity to make meaningful connections, foster a sense of trust, and mend communities. All things KC can and should do a better job of.

Rant finished. Back to the topic of KC Tenants destroying or not destroying development futures of KC.

I said "Help", not "Force".

[moderne]

KCPT Flatland tonight had round table discussion on midtown housing with Gerend, Bunch, guy from KC Tenants. Developers invited but no show. Good point brought up was that lack of new construction will drive rents up on existing housing stock.

[Anthony_Hugo98]

KCPT Flatland tonight had round table discussion on midtown housing with Gerend, Bunch, guy from KC Tenants. Developers invited but no show. Good point brought up was that lack of new construction will drive rents up on existing housing stock.

What developers were invited, did they say? I know a few small scale ones here that would be thrilled to have participated in something like this. Makes me think they only invited the likes of MAC or Cordish types

[im2kull]

I didn't see any invites for that even either. Virtually everyone I know would have wanted to go, myself included. Blaming a lack of new construction would be one hell of an ironic statement to make though.

[im2kull]

KC Tenants Impact:

Stalled or cancelled 19 projects comprising 172 vertical floors of construction, eliminating 4,400 proposed units of housing, 1,200 hotel rooms, and $3,721,900,000 worth of development.

[Cratedigger]

KC Tenants Impact:

Stalled or cancelled 19 projects comprising 172 vertical floors of construction, eliminating 4,400 proposed units of housing, 1,200 hotel rooms, and $3,721,900,000 worth of development.

Source?

I don’t doubt they have impacted development, but other factors such as interest rates and a SEC investigation for one specific developer have contributed as well.

[im2kull]

KC Tenants Impact:

Stalled or cancelled 19 projects comprising 172 vertical floors of construction, eliminating 4,400 proposed units of housing, 1,200 hotel rooms, and $3,721,900,000 worth of development.

Source?

I don’t doubt they have impacted development, but other factors such as interest rates and a SEC investigation for one specific developer have contributed as well.

Sources: https://clerk.kcmo.gov/Legislation.aspx , Cityscene, https://kctenants.org/press

I think you are making the common mistake of minimizing their negative impacts. It's an easy mistake to make when viewing through too narrow a lens.

[Anthony_Hugo98]

KC Tenants Impact:

Stalled or cancelled 19 projects comprising 172 vertical floors of construction, eliminating 4,400 proposed units of housing, 1,200 hotel rooms, and $3,721,900,000 worth of development.

Source?

I don’t doubt they have impacted development, but other factors such as interest rates and a SEC investigation for one specific developer have contributed as well.

Sources: https://clerk.kcmo.gov/Legislation.aspx , Cityscene, https://kctenants.org/press

I think you are making the common mistake of minimizing their negative impacts. It's an easy mistake to make when viewing through too narrow a lens.

No one is minimizing anything here, more so stating there have been other factors at play. I’m probably one of the more outspoken critics of KCT on here, and even I have a hard time believing they’ve directly led to the demise of 19 projects. Now them speaking out against 19 projects is different than them rallying against, and having an incentive sealed torpedoed for a project, in the case of MAC.

I think we’re just moreso asking to see a compiled list of all projects cancelled, and the communication that demonstrates that KCT directly led to it.

[im2kull]

Source?

I don’t doubt they have impacted development, but other factors such as interest rates and a SEC investigation for one specific developer have contributed as well.

Sources: https://clerk.kcmo.gov/Legislation.aspx , Cityscene, https://kctenants.org/press

I think you are making the common mistake of minimizing their negative impacts. It's an easy mistake to make when viewing through too narrow a lens.

No one is minimizing anything here, more so stating there have been other factors at play. I’m probably one of the more outspoken critics of KCT on here, and even I have a hard time believing they’ve directly led to the demise of 19 projects. Now them speaking out against 19 projects is different than them rallying against, and having an incentive sealed torpedoed for a project, in the case of MAC.

I think we’re just moreso asking to see a compiled list of all projects cancelled, and the communication that demonstrates that KCT directly led to it.

Are you viewing KCT & the KC Public School District the same? That is an integral question to preface this discussion with.

Here's a sampling of projects they've opposed that have had major delays or cancellations because of their opposition:

Lux Riverfront
Freighthouse Village
Katz Redevelopment (Main & Westport)
Wonderland (19th & Broadway)
City Harvest (5th & Main)
Mac Developemtn (Armour & Main)
ATT HQ Residential Conversion (8th & Locust)
KCATA High-Rise (10th & Main)
KC Royals Ballpark (East Village)
Ascend at River Market (Fmr. Defeo Tower (Oak & Third))
KC Current Village
The Midland Lofts (1221 Baltimore)
Parker Square Apartments
Old KCPS Headquarters
4711 Belleview
74 Broadway - Waldo Proposal (47th & Broadway)
Bravo Hotel

Don't forget about the:
-2021 affordable housing set aside or contribute to housing trust fund
-KC Tenants activists blockading an entrance to The Jackson County Courthouse to shut down eviction court proceedings
-KCT flooding virtual court hearings with calls
--virtual eviction hearings were shut down as a result
-KCT infiltration of development and taxing authority boards

[Cratedigger]

Some of these projects are actively being worked on now with completion dates this year. Others on that list are in flight with plans to be announced soon.

Some of the others on the list have been doing serious behind the scenes work and we’ll probably hear more concrete plans announced in the next year or two.

If Lux had a better financial/legal situation then 3 of those projects would have continued. And I’m willing to bet their riverfront wouldn’t have died either. Port KC was ready to continue pushing that forward.

Ultimately, Anthony said it better than I could. KCT (and I suppose KCPS as well) have actively torpedoed developments in KC. But ignoring factors such as the FAA and Lux’s legal battles is as disingenuous as you say KCT is going about their advocacy.

[FangKC]

The City should encourage some of the torpedoed developments to present again, and then point to the Parade Park Homes redevelopment when KCT protests. That neighborhood is going from the current 510 townhouses to 1065 affordable units. They have doubled the number of residences there. The City could then point out to KCT the new affordable units and use it as an example of making an effort to improve the housing situation.

[im2kull]

Some of these projects are actively being worked on now with completion dates this year. Others on that list are in flight with plans to be announced soon.

Some of the others on the list have been doing serious behind the scenes work and we’ll probably hear more concrete plans announced in the next year or two.

If Lux had a better financial/legal situation then 3 of those projects would have continued. And I’m willing to bet their riverfront wouldn’t have died either. Port KC was ready to continue pushing that forward.

Ultimately, Anthony said it better than I could. KCT (and I suppose KCPS as well) have actively torpedoed developments in KC. But ignoring factors such as the FAA and Lux’s legal battles is as disingenuous as you say KCT is going about their advocacy.

This list isn't inclusive of all, but I did mention that it includes stalled or slowed developments.

That said, Port KC literally stopped the Lux Riverfront project because of KCT & KCPS. Point blank. They literally said that their testimony and racket was THE reason why they weren't approving it. They weren't going to magically backtrack a day later and approve the project. Same with the death of MAC's massive Armour proposal. KCT destroyed those proposals that were otherwise heading for smooth sailing. KCT also has slowed many, many developments now in a death spiral, which if they had gained quicker approval would have been completed.

KCT also isn't done fighting these stalled and "In Progress" developments, so many of them will likely still fail to make it across the finish line.

You do realize KCT has millions of dollars in their PAC, and millions more backing them? I understand a lot of your viewpoints, but I still think you're grossly underestimating their backing and influence.

[MidKC]

Some of these projects are actively being worked on now with completion dates this year. Others on that list are in flight with plans to be announced soon.

Some of the others on the list have been doing serious behind the scenes work and we’ll probably hear more concrete plans announced in the next year or two.

If Lux had a better financial/legal situation then 3 of those projects would have continued. And I’m willing to bet their riverfront wouldn’t have died either. Port KC was ready to continue pushing that forward.

Ultimately, Anthony said it better than I could. KCT (and I suppose KCPS as well) have actively torpedoed developments in KC. But ignoring factors such as the FAA and Lux’s legal battles is as disingenuous as you say KCT is going about their advocacy.

This list isn't inclusive of all, but I did mention that it includes stalled or slowed developments.

That said, Port KC literally stopped the Lux Riverfront project because of KCT & KCPS. Point blank. They literally said that their testimony and racket was THE reason why they weren't approving it. They weren't going to magically backtrack a day later and approve the project. Same with the death of MAC's massive Armour proposal. KCT destroyed those proposals that were otherwise heading for smooth sailing. KCT also has slowed many, many developments now in a death spiral, which if they had gained quicker approval would have been completed.

KCT also isn't done fighting these stalled and "In Progress" developments, so many of them will likely still fail to make it across the finish line.

You do realize KCT has millions of dollars in their PAC, and millions more backing them? I understand a lot of your viewpoints, but I still think you're grossly underestimating their backing and influence.

It seems like they were right to oppose that project considering the state of Lux right now. It would just be another stalled half complete project.

[im2kull]

https://www.kcur.org/housing-developmen ... kc-tenants

When will the city stop being held hostage and admit that killing developments off isn't the solution?

[TheBigChuckbowski]

https://www.kcur.org/housing-developmen ... kc-tenants

When will the city stop being held hostage and admit that killing developments off isn't the solution?

Man, KCUR is embarrassingly bad on the housing topic.

“The rent doesn't naturally go down,” Raghuveer said. “And it certainly won't naturally go down in a market that's determined by the profiteers who have an interest in the price of land going up and up and up forever.”

The source for this article shows that rents have gone down in numerous markets around the country but this quote goes unchallenged.

Literally the third paragraph from the article's source (https://www.rent.com/research/february- ... nt-report/):

Since September 2022, national rents have cooled considerably, in part due to a construction boom which has resulted in oversupply and stubbornly high vacancies. Vacancy rates stood at 6.6 percent in the final quarter of 2023, posing challenges for landlords and property management companies hesitant to raise rents in a saturated marketplace. For renters, that has meant more housing options and the power to negotiate favorable lease terms as the market continues to settle into post-pandemic norms.

No mention of this or the fact that Kansas City hasn't seen that construction boom, in part because of KC Tenants, who get multiple quotes in this article.

[bspecht]

Meanwhile in DC: Almost to the goal of 36,000 new units since 2019. My rent has gone up ~5% (total) since then. https://open.dc.gov/36000by2025/

Kansas City needs to build, desperately. I track top 30 metro councils around the US, the way KC talks about housing is incredibly rudimentary.

[CrossroadsUrbanApts]

A frequent argument that I heard in past years was that developers wouldn't ever overbuild apartments (to the point of rent decreases) because it wasn't in their financial interest. I guess the developers in Austin, Portland, SF, et al failed to collude properly! More seriously, development is highly competitive with a mix of large and small developers that any kind of coordinated cartel-like behavior is just so unlikely. Developers have payroll to meet, too - so there is always a bias towards doing projects.

Investors and lenders are a different story - those are the groups that put the breaks on development activity the past 18 months, not developers.

[phuqueue]

The idea isn't really that developers will actively collude to keep rent high, it's that when rents begin to fall, the profit incentive shrinks, and if this becomes a persistent trend, developers will begin to exit the market until rents stabilize and then rise again. It doesn't mean overbuilding won't happen from time to time, but the long-term trend over years and decades across the country is that rent increases outpace inflation, because for-profit enterprise does not intentionally engage in activities that diminish profit. This is why expecting developers to consistently overbuild and bring rents down isn't a long-term solution to the affordability problem, notwithstanding that some markets might occasionally see rents level off or even fall modestly (and yes, emphasis on "modest," because let's not pretend that any of these cities are suddenly meaningfully more affordable than they were a year ago).

Before this spirals into a multipage argument again, just gonna get in here to note once again that I agree wholeheartedly -- in principle -- that KC (and the rest of the country) needs a lot more housing. That doesn't necessarily mean that the skepticism toward developers of low-income renters or groups like KCT that represent them is unwarranted, though.