Project focuses on housing affordability in inner-ring suburbs
Pilot project will focus on housing in older suburbs
The National League of Cities has selected the Mid-America Regional Council’s First Suburbs Coalition — a group of 19 communities in Greater Kansas City — for a new economic development pilot project that will provide technical assistance and insights from the TIP Strategies Inc. consulting firm.
“We plan to use this unique opportunity to focus on housing issues in first-tier suburbs, including affordability, choice and neighborhood stabilization,” said Mission City Council member Kristin Inman, co-chair of the First Suburbs Coalition. “Housing is critical to economic development because it impacts access to jobs and education and our quality of life.”
The Kansas City area has been known for its affordability, but housing costs are rising. MARC said that inner-ring suburbs face unique challenges, “as most of their housing stock was built shortly after World War II and they are often hemmed in by outer-ring suburbs, with little or no undeveloped land for new, more modern housing units.”
The project will culminate with a housing summit for community leaders in July.
MARC applied for the award on behalf of the coalition, with the cities of Mission and Gladstone as lead agencies. Besides Mission, other Johnson County communities in the First Suburbs Coalition are Fairway, Merriam, Mission Hills, Mission Woods, the older part of Overland Park, Prairie Village, Roeland Park, Westwood and Westwood Hills.
Overland Park issues 2,800-plus rental licenses
Overland Park has issued more than 2,800 rental licenses since its rental licensing program launched two years ago as a strategy to preserve and strengthen neighborhoods.
“As a result of the program, code compliance officers are in neighborhoods more often,” the city said in a news release. “When violations are found, code compliance officers work with property owners to bring properties into compliance.”
City officials said about 25 percent of inspected rental properties were found to be in violation of the property maintenance standards, with issues like chipped and peeling paint, wood rot, decks in disrepair and inoperative or abandoned vehicles.
Under the licensing program, property owners pay $60 annually per building for a license that last two years. That money funds the enhanced inspection program.
The next round of inspections and licensing will begin in May.
Blue Valley schedules talk on vaping
Families, students and others in the Blue Valley School District are invited to an April 2 event to learn more about an activity that’s become popular with young people.
“Vaping in the Valley: Fad or Epidemic?” begins at 6:30 p.m. at the Hilltop Conference Center, 7700 W. 143rd St. in Overland Park. Chris Jenson, a physician and and teacher at Blue Valley Southwest High School, will discuss the latest trends and scientific research.
A resource fair precedes the talk, starting at 6 p.m.
Bridge construction to close road in Fairway
Fairway hopes to start work May 25 on a replacement for the Sheridan Road Bridge, which dates to 1940 and was rehabilitated in 1992.
The road won’t close immediately, but will be shut down for six to nine months soon after construction begins.
Survey asks about natural resource in parks
Through March 22, the Johnson County Park and Recreation District is conducting an online opinion survey about preserving natural features such as forests, prairies, waterways and other wildlife habitats in its parks and streamway trails.
The county has developed this vision for a new natural resource plan: “A system of parks and trails that provides healthy and diverse forests, prairies, waterways, and other wildlife habitats for the enjoyment of all residents and visitors.”
Now officials want feedback on ways to accomplish the vision. Among other things, the survey asks about importance of natural resources management, the handling of stormwater and invasive species, and making the parks more hospitable to pollinators like bees and butterflies.
The planning process began in the spring of 2018 and will wrap up later this spring.
Find the questionnaire at www.surveymonkey.com/r/jcprdnature2.
Summer program sign-ups begin next week
The rush to register for summer classes and activities begins at 8:30 a.m. May 25 in the Johnson County Park and Recreation District.
The May-to-August catalog goes online March 22 at jcprd.com and will be available in print form the week of March 25.
Catalogs will be mailed to about 30,000 people who have signed up for a district program in the last year, but they also are available at libraries, community centers, some businesses and at park district locations.
The park district’s 2019 Camp Guide was distributed in January, but some additional camp offerings will be in the new catalog.
Free weekend at the arboretum
The Overland Park Arboretum and Botanical Gardens is offering free admission March 23 and 24, the first official weekend of spring.
The venue, at 8909 W. 179th St. in Overland Park, contains a variety of gardens, art and hiking trails. The arboretum is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily this time of year.
SM South student aces the ACT
Chase Horner, a sophomore at Shawnee Mission South High School, has earned a perfect score of 36 on the ACT college entrance exam.
His school activities include band, swimming, cross country, track and debate. He also studies Arabic and is considering studies in mechanical engineering, law or finance.
Fewer than one-tenth of 1 percent of test-takers earn a perfect composite score.
New De Soto principal
Clark McCracken has been tapped to succeed Steve Ludwig as principal of Lexington Trails Middle School in De Soto, effective with the 2019-20 school year. Ludwig is retiring.
McCracken is now principal at Delaware Ridge Elementary School in the Bonner Springs/Edwardsville School District.
Shows highlight healing power of the arts
Local performers will join a national touring company for two performances of “Fire in the Heart” in early April at the Jewish Community Center of Greater Kansas City in Overland Park.
The shows feature dance, gospel, hip-hop, classical music, poetry, autobiography and film to show how the arts helped each performer pull through trauma and difficult times.
Curtain times are 7:30 p.m. April 6 and 2 p.m. April 7 in the community center’s White Theatre. Advance tickets can be purchased for $18 to $40 at TheWhiteTheatre.org, at 913-327-8054 or at the theater box office, 5801 W. 115th St.
Starting March 24 and continuing through April 20, the center also is presenting “Fire in the ART,” a free exhibit by visual and literary artists who also experienced healing through creative expression.
This story was originally published March 20, 2019 at 2:39 PM with the headline "Project focuses on housing affordability in inner-ring suburbs."