Michael Kelley, 5th District At-Large
Read the candidate’s responses to our questionnaire below:
How can the City further encourage smaller-scale, incremental redevelopment in our neighborhoods?
One key step is to work to broaden the community land trust model into other parts of the city. The Marlborough Community Land Trust, located in the 5th District, is perhaps the best example of this model in action. Not only is it supporting affordable infill development for people who need it, they’re in the process of saving and rehabbing the Marlborough School into housing and a community center as well.
In the 1940 city limits, we have half the population we used to have. Do you believe repopulating the urban core is a critical priority?
I do believe repopulating the urban core is a critical priority, and the way we need to do that is by creating a community which is capable of attracting and retaining older individuals and young families.
Many developers planning to offer affordable housing are experiencing financial gaps in their capital stack, hindering their ability to proceed with construction. Kansas City has built the Affordable Housing Trust Fund to help close this gap. Does the fund adequately address developers’ concerns? If not, how would you address this issue?
No, I don’t believe it addresses those concerns. I will address this issue through two key channels: 1) Working to increase the funding within the Affordable Housing Trust Fund (AHTF), and 2) Working to roll back some of the additional burdens we place on construction. First, the $50 million initially approved for the AHTF is clearly not enough to address all of our needs. I will explore additional ways that we can add money into the fund so that it can enable the construction of more affordable housing. Second, one of the most burdensome costs Kansas City continues to place on developers is with parking minimums. This adds on to the costs of building housing in general, and those costs are often passed along to occupants. Working to roll back these minimums will not only free up more space for housing, it will make Kansas City denser, more walkable, and more sustainable over the long term.
How do you believe the affordable housing set-aside standards have impacted new housing development? How would you increase affordable housing in Kansas City?
I believe that the affordable housing set-aside standards have not been able to do enough to spur new development in Kansas City. While I’ve spoken to some of the steps I want to take to increase affordable housing, I’ll add two more elements here: 1) Redefine what “affordable” means, and 2) Move away from an overemphasis on single-family zoning. First, our definition for “affordable” housing is $1200/month for a one bedroom apartment. That’s not affordable for most Kansas Citians, and that’s because our definition is based on a regional formula which includes wealthy neighborhoods, like Johnson County. We should narrow that definition to only include Kansas City proper. Second, we should move away from our current overreliance on single-family zoning so that we can not only increase the amount of affordable housing, but expand the amount of affordable communities where people don’t have to rely on a car to get to the things they need to achieve and maintain a good quality of life.
Transit-oriented community (TOC) projects create compact, walkable, pedestrian-oriented, mixed-use communities centered around high-quality transit systems. This development approach alleviates concerns your constituents may have about accessing services and the cost of living. How would you promote and support providing transit-oriented community developments to Kansas City residents?
I am the candidate in this race who has done the most to make transit-oriented communities possible throughout Kansas City, and I’ll work to expand that as a City Councilperson. It begins by strengthening our city’s Complete Streets ordinance, and working with staff to develop to more clearly dictate how multimodal transportation is prioritized in new and existing development. It continues with plans, like the city’s Vision Zero Action Plan, and working to prioritize safety investments which give people the comfort and confidence necessary to use transit and other forms of multimodal transportation more frequently. It culminates with projects: having clear design standards and safety benchmarks can allow us to tailor a vision that is easier for staff to explain and easier for stakeholders to shape into something which truly aligns with what their neighborhood needs.
Crime is affecting Kansas City’s reputation on a national scale. While violent crime makes the headlines, an increase in property crime is impacting our residents and businesses. What are some specific and measurable ways with which you would address crime? (We are looking for your concrete ideas, not general positions on funding or philosophy.)
Property crime appears to fit into two broad categories: 1) crimes of theft and 2) crimes of destruction. First, regarding crimes of theft, one area where the city has seen a growing problem is with bike thefts, which is a serious problem for those who rely on biking as a primary form of transportation. We should address this by strengthening policies that allow for the secure, long-term storage of these and other valuable items in public spaces, something which has been successfully implemented in New York and other municipalities. With regards to crimes of destruction (i.e. vandalism), I believe we should improve lighting installations and work with local artists to use public spaces and other targets for vandalism as spots for murals, mosaics, and other artistic installations instead. Both of these elements have been successfully employed to small degrees in the past, and we should expand on these and other non-confrontational strategies.
If elected, what issue will define your term?
I believe the issue which will define my term is community engagement. Especially as it relates to issues around land use and transportation, the city has fallen short of explaining why some of the changes it has pursued are necessary and how community feedback actually informs those changes. How I, and the rest of the new council, work to address that issue, will not only determine if we’re capable of creating a thriving 21st Century city; it will likely determine whether we’ll be re-elected four years from now.
YES/NO Questions:
Should a third-party "but-for" financial analysis be required to receive tax incentives in KC? | Yes |
Do you believe the City should be building and owning housing? | Yes |
Do you support the recent ordinances that allow ADUs and more flexible development on infill lots? | Yes |
Do you believe urban core development to be more difficult and expensive than "greenfield" development? | Yes |