ORDINANCE NO. 260860
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Sponsor: Mayor Pro Tem Ryana Parks-Shaw
Authorizing the City Manager to negotiate an agreement to establish a housing development corporation; directing the City Manager to review the inventory of publicly-owned parcels and develop a plan to transfer city-owned parcels to external partners pursuant to an agreement.
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WHEREAS, housing stock at all prices is critical for equitable economic growth in Kansas City; and
WHEREAS, the City is committed to creating or preserving housing units to ensure all residents can live and thrive throughout Kansas City;
WHEREAS, by developing housing on City-owned parcels, the city can ensure that publicly held assets will help address the critical need for mixed-income housing; and
WHEREAS, a Housing Development Corporation has previously been identified in the City’s Anti-Displacement Plan and Vacant Land Activation Plan as a successful means to creating and preserving affordable housing stock and activating vacant properties;
WHEREAS, Resolution No. 240997 directed the City Manager to review municipally-owned housing development corporations in peer cities;
WHEREAS, Ordinance No. 250600 adopted the Comprehensive Anti-Displacement Plan and directed the City Manager to implement the plan’s recommendations; and
WHEREAS, the City’s Putting Assets to Work Playbook developed strategies, tools, and policies to better engage intergovernmental partners and community stakeholders to attract private capital and derive new revenue from the portfolio of assets; and
WHEREAS, Kansas City voters have authorized up to $100 million in general obligation bonds for affordable housing, representing a significant new investment in housing and increasing the importance of development tools that are capable of leveraging public resources, publicly-owned land, and private investment to increase housing production; and
WHEREAS, the City Council believes it is in the best interest of Kansas City residents to develop affordable housing on publicly-owned parcels and ensure that certain publicly held assets are devoted to addressing the critical need for affordable housing; NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF KANSAS CITY:
Section 1. That the City Manager is hereby authorized to negotiate an agreement with the Housing Authority of Kansas City, the Economic Development Corporation of Kansas City, public incentive agencies, and any other relevant external partners to establish and operate a Kansas City Housing Development Corporation for the purposes of developing publicly-owned land into mixed-income housing that is attractive and attainable to residents across a range of income levels throughout the City.
Section 2. The City Manager is authorized to negotiate any additional agreements or documents as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this ordinance on the terms and conditions provided in the agreement.
Section 3. That the City Manager is hereby directed to review the inventory of publicly-owned parcels, identify properties ready for development, coordinate with public incentive agencies and the Housing Authority of Kansas City, the Economic Development Corporation of Kansas City, public incentive agencies, and any other relevant external partners to develop a plan to prepare and make publicly-owned parcels prioritized for housing development available to the Housing Development Corporation or its development partners pursuant to agreements approved or authorized by the Council and applicable law. The plan shall consider appropriate mechanisms for making such properties available for development, including transfer, sale, ground lease, development agreement, or other legally permissible arrangements that advance mixed-income or affordable housing development and long-term affordability.
Section 4. That, once negotiated, the City Manager shall present the agreement to Council. Such an agreement shall also include a request for any necessary appropriations and a proposed governance structure to provide the following coordination:
• Oversee the Putting Assets to Work initiative and facilitate public land redevelopment across government entities.
• Align public agency policies, timelines, and resources to support a unified development strategy under the PDC’s leadership.
• Provide strategic oversight and ensure accountability for affordable housing delivery, community benefit agreements, and fiscal sustainability.
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Approved as to form:
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Joseph Guarino
Senior Associate City Attorney