By Joe Jarosz
Northeast News
November 19, 2014

KANSAS CITY, Missouri – Despite missing the beginning of game seven of the World Series, Northeast residents came out to voice their support for area development.

On Wednesday, Oct. 29, the Missouri Housing Development Commission heard from area residents who voiced their support for the Pendleton Heights nine percent tax credit proposal of Affordable Housing of Kansas City and Brinshore Development. The Pendleton Flats team is proposing to rehabilitate Brooklyn Heights, an apartment complex located in the Pendleton Heights neighborhood. The flats are located at 533-541 Brooklyn Ave., just off of Independence Avenue.

Northeast Alliance Together has expressed its support for the project, along with residents and members of the Pendleton Heights Neighborhood Association. At the meeting, association president Jessica Ray said the association has worked extremely hard to be independent. In the past five years, roughly 30 houses in the neighborhood have been rehabilitated, mostly by neighborhood residents. In the last 10 years, she estimated the city’s investment of Pendleton Heights at around $200,000.

“We’ve talked to developers and nobody is interested because we’re east of Troost, we’re a weird little pocket in the city,” Ray said. “What we want is to get rid of this complex that has been a blight for years. So we are super excited to have finally convinced somebody that this is worth doing and doing well.”

David Stadler, vice president of administration and community development for Mattie Rhodes, spoke at the meeting on behalf of NEAT. He said the organization is “firmly in support” of the project because it revitalizes a blighted section of the neighborhood and it continues the positive development along Independence Avenue, “which is a highly blighted area of the city.”

“In addition to the supportive service component of the project it will bring to the area, it’s a much needed component for change,” Stadler said.

Merrie Ford, another Pendleton Heights resident, also spoke in favor of rehabilitating the 30-unit apartment complex. She pointed out that the neighborhood is in transition and most revitalization in the community has been through grassroots movements. It’s a neighborhood comprised of residents who are not only diverse, but whom also care about where they live, which is why they should receive the tax credit.

“The biggest problem with the apartment building in question is a combination of having out-of-state owners, property managers, and a lack of maintenance on the building that has resulted in deterioration,” Ford said, adding that about a third of the building is boarded up while units are still being rented out. “It’s not an issue of not wanting low-income housing, but this one has brought an element of people to the community who don’t care. It’s inviting people into the neighborhood who aren’t engaged and aren’t willing to help with the positive aspect on so many other levels.”

Ford added that her understanding from the group that is going to work on the complex is they are going to turn the complex into mixed-use that will invite low-income, area students and families to the neighborhood.

After the meeting, Brian Vollendier, public information administrator with the Missouri Housing Development Commission, said the applications are reviewed by staff. After the review is complete, staff will make recommendations to the commission. The next regular commission meeting is Dec. 5, 2014.