Kansas City Builders Demand 'Urgency' As Housing Crisis Worsens

We're in middle of real estate "selling season" in Kansas City and so far the benefit from falling prices has mostly been unrealized because of the dearth of new housing stock. 

Close news watchers are familiar with this debate but we need to quickly spell it out again for those who haven't been following this drama that impacts everyone who needs local shelter: 

BUILDERS BLAME NEW "ENERGY CODE" CHANGES CHAMPIONED BY CLIMATE CHANGE ACTIVISTS AS THE ROOT CAUSE OF THE LOCAL HOUSING CRISIS!!!

So far the answer from people who endorse these changes isn't very inspiring given that they've already won their legislative fight. 

Northland Councilman Willett wanted to arrange a public debate but there was no response. 

Councilman Bunch who championed this effort is nowhere to be found, has disappeared from social media and has seemingly returned to his habit of ignoring most of his job duties related to constituent outreach. He's a solid yes vote for Mayor Q and not much besides. 

The social media discourse is largely misinformed and people who ascribe to the climate change philosophy seem to believe that home builder margins must suffer or that local biz should continue to build despite any financial incentive . . . The invective arguments mostly just claim builders are greedy for their complaints about rising costs.

Meanwhile . . .

The data does, in fact, reveal a crisis. 

Check-it . . .

The Mid-America Regional Council reports this metropolitan area is short by as many as 24,000 housing units, in part, because of a big shortfall in new builds.

“We should start operating with a sense of urgency,” Will Ruder, executive vice-president with the Homebuilders Association of Greater Kansas City, said.  “We should not allowing housing to become subordinate to some other priority.”

Ruder believes changes to construction codes in Kansas City, Missouri have pushed developers into leaving the Show-Me-State for the Kansas side suburbs.

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . .

Fox4: New study shows why housing production lagging in Kansas City region