Housing Committee Targets Vacancy and Neglect in Northeast Kansas City

Ryan Millan-Pulley
Editorial Intern

Between Jackson Avenue and Chouteau Trafficway lies Kansas City’s Indian Mound neighborhood, where residents are taking housing concerns into their own hands.

The Indian Mound Housing Committee, formed through a partnership between Local Initiative Support Corporation (LISC) and Legal Aid of Western Missouri, is working to stabilize housing, promote equitable development, and address long-neglected properties.

Indian Mound is just one of several neighborhoods with housing committees in the Northeast. According to Amanda Wilson, senior program officer at LISC and Indian Mound resident, the committees originated from an offhand comment by Brandon Mason, a former attorney at Legal Aid. During a housing coalition meeting, Mason suggested creating neighborhood-level housing committees that focus on abandoned and investor-owned properties.

Months later, when LISC was applying for a grant, Wilson included the idea. “So then we got some money from Health Forward Foundation a couple years ago to start neighborhood housing committees with the neighborhoods that Legal Aid already works with.” Wilson said. LISC also acquired funding from the Marion and Henry Bloch Family Foundation.

Most of the initial funding went to Legal Aid’s paralegals and staff attorneys to support background training and information used by the housing committees. The remaining money went to LISC and the neighborhood associations.

The Indian Mound Housing Committee is led by Chairman Michael Adams. Since joining the Indian Mound Neighborhood Association in August 2024, Adams has taken on dual roles as Housing Committee chairman and Association treasurer. He also serves as treasurer for Friends of Sacred Structures, an organization dedicated to restoring historic religious buildings. “I’m particularly invested in the stability and development of our neighborhood after purchasing a house here,” Adams said. “We want to ensure that Indian Mound remains an accessible and well maintained community for both long-term residents and new homeowners.”

***342 N. White Avenue before (left) and during (right) rehabilitation. Before photo courtesy of Google Street View.***

The Indian Mound Housing Committee has been very active in rehabilitating neglected properties. They’ve made partnerships with local organizations like Jerusalem Farm, who are currently working on 342 N. White Ave.

***534 Denver Avenue before (left) and after (right) rehabilitation. Before photo courtesy of Google Street View.***

The property at 534 Denver Ave. has also undergone significant change. While its case was opened before the committee was created, it was rehabilitated using the same methods as recent projects, and in collaboration with the same organizations, such as Legal Aid of Western Missouri. “I think it’s a good success story,” said Sarah Kaldenburg, an active committee member.

The committee’s most recent project is at 440 N. Wheeling, where they’ve been working with Gunnar Hand, Executive Director of KC Land Bank, to ensure it’ll be restored responsibly and kept away from potentially predatory investors.

To start these projects, housing committees file lawsuits through Kansas City’s Abandoned Housing Act. To fall under this act, a property must be abandoned for six months, owe taxes, and have city code violations.

“We want to focus on the houses that have been literally forgotten. Owned and then abandoned for some reason or another. Houses that are vacant, falling apart, at risk of fires or squatters,” Kaldenburg said.

If residents are interested, they can contact local neighborhood associations through their respective websites.

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