KC introduces 7 free blueprints to speed up new home builds. See the designs

Kansas City has rolled out a set of pre-approved home designs that officials say could ease the process for those looking to build new houses.

Mayor Quinton Lucas announced Tuesday that the city now has a set of seven free blueprints, including a duplex, a two-story house with a garage and a cottage, that are free to download to get the process of building a new home started.

Proposals would still go through the permit application process and need a site plan, a survey as well as scheduled inspections when applicable. But the free blueprints could streamline design work, allow the permit process to move faster with pre-approved plans and mean no architect fees, saving time and costs.

“From bungalows to tiny houses to duplexes, there’s something for every need and every neighborhood,” Lucas said. “This is part of our commitment to making sure every Kansas Citian has access to safe, quality affordable housing. We’re removing the barriers, one plan at a time.”

The announcement comes as the city is working to change its rules around incentives for housing projects to better align with those of the Port Authority of Kansas City, and as it looks to reduce fees and accelerate the permitting process for new housing projects, especially affordable ones.

Melissa Patterson Hazley, council member for the Third District At-Large, said on X she first brought the concept forward in 2023 to help support a housing accelerator program geared toward revitalizing the Washington-Wheatley neighborhood by building new homes on dozens of vacant lots.

“We have a housing crisis, and this is one of the ways we close the gap,” she said.

The city’s development concierge office can be contacted to answer questions about the process.

The pre-approved designs were created by DRAW Architecture, a local firm.

Overland Park also has pre-approved homes

Kansas City’s new home designs are similar to the Portfolio Homes program that Overland Park launched last year. With its own set of pre-approved designs, the city hopes the program will help lower the costs of building a new home in pricey Johnson County.

Overland Park is eyeing a partnership with Driven Development, the nonprofit arm of development firm VanTrust, to develop new homes using the designs on land currently owned by the city.

The Portfolio Homes program is new, and Overland Park spokesperson Meg Ralph told The Star on Wednesday that there have been a few things the works in pre-application meetings, but nothing has been formalized yet.

A report posted by the Mid-America Regional Council, a planning organization for the Kansas City region, touted Overland Park’s plan and said a core benefit is that builders don’t have to repeat work that’s already been done.

The report said that a similar program in a city near Tulsa meant 24-hour turnarounds and reduced construction costs.

See Kansas City’s pre-approved home designs

Duplex

Two-story home

Two-story home with garage

Bungalow

Courtyard cottage

Accessory dwelling unit over garage

Tiny house