ReStart completes its first low-income housing amid expansion
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The duplex will serve as a housing pathway for ReStart families. Photo: Travis Meier/Axios
The opening of a new duplex in Kansas City's Historic Northeast signals the first of many much-needed affordable housing units built and owned by ReStart, a nonprofit that addresses homelessness.
Why it matters: Low-income families facing rising costs are getting priced out of their homes, and a shortage of cheap housing often leaves them seeking emergency shelter, ReStart CEO Stephanie Boyer tells Axios.
Driving the news: The duplex on Drury Avenue is the first completed project of ReStart's affordable housing initiative, UpStart, which aims to build 100 affordable units in the next five years.
- The ribbon-cutting Thursday drew Rep. Emanuel Cleaver II and Jackson County legislator Manny Abarca.
Follow the money: Cleaver in 2022 secured $750,000 for ReStart and presented the check at the groundbreaking last year.
- Boyer says about $100,000 went into ridding the ground of lead and asbestos after the house that previously occupied the lot burned down years ago.
Zoom in: The three-bedroom, 2½-bath units will be rented to families making 30% or less of the area median income, a section of the population Boyer says is greatly in need.
- "That's 100% of the 1,344 people we served last year," she says. "Their rent is just going to help us to maintain the property."
Context: Kansas City is short roughly 64,000 affordable units, and rent prices have seen significant increases since the pandemic.
- "Last year, ReStart received calls from 718 families that were seeking emergency shelter" as many were priced out of their homes, Boyer says.
- "I expect that number to double this year."
What they're saying: "We welcome UpStart and are excited for the difference these homes will make," Kay Hopkins, vice president of the Indian Mound Neighborhood Association, said Thursday.
Zoom out: ReStart will also open new transition housing for families without homes in Midtown on July 21.
- The facility, called Family Lodge, will take over the former Quality Inn & Suites and will triple ReStart's interim family capacity.
- Its current location at 918 9th St. will also continue serving as transition housing.
What we're watching: UpStart has plans to build three more units in the Indian Mound neighborhood — a single-family home and another duplex, Northeast News reports.
The bottom line: Two down, 98 to go.