Startland article about Ruby Jean's coming to Troost:
http://www.startlandnews.com/2017/09/ru ... ce-troost/
Also, in the BizJournal, a new grant for home buyers is starting between Harrison and 71, 27th and 47th:
https://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/ ... uyers.html
It looks like this is a $10k grant for home buyers who make up to the median income amount (which I don't see listed). It doesn't appeared to be tied to rehabs, like the RAMP program. RAMP is still available for all these neighborhoods between Troost and Paseo, with a grant up to $15k for rehabs.
Perhaps the more interesting part of this is the incentive for landlords to sell their rental properties: a $10k grant to spend on rehab of rental properties that must be sold within 18 months. I think this is great if it results in more owner occupants. I wouldn't mind seeing similar incentives expanded to other areas - or at least harsher penalties for slumlords that don't maintain their properties.
There really haven't been many homes for sale between Troost and Paseo lately, and I think much of that is due to landlords sitting on houses, waiting for values to keep going up while doing minimal maintenance. It looks like Squier Park and Center City have had zero homes sold this year. There is only 1 house on the market in Squier Park, but it is on Paseo and there is 1 house under contract in Center City. These two neighborhoods could really take off if the MAC plan for Armour and Troost comes to fruition, but if people are just sitting on the properties, nothing is going to happen.
Other interesting aspects of this TIF plan:
The plan approved Wednesday also calls for forgivable loans of as much as $2,500 a unit for exterior improvements to multifamily properties, $10,000 per lot for single-family new construction gap financing and $5,000 a home, with owners matching dollar for dollar, for improvements to single-family rentals.