KarunaNews Story

In Northeast Kansas City, Missouri, one working-class neighborhood is using a multi-pronged approach to take control of its housing supply while preserving its blue collar heritage. Since 2018, the Lykins Neighborhood Association has been using a state law to take control of abandoned homes, establishing a mixed-income neighborhood trust, and partnering with Habitat for Humanity to construct 15-20 new houses. In 2025, the Lykins Neighborhood Association launched its Urban Homesteaders program, under which renters with technical skills in construction and renovation can agree to “buy” a dilapidated home at no cost to them and receive a $15,000 loan for materials — if they agree to renovations and stay in the property for at least five years. Lykins Square Park, around which only seven of neighboring 45 properties were occupied, has been redeveloped and is no longer a hub for drug activity.