Housing in Kansas City

When to start looking

Many landlords require 90 days’ notice from tenants if they are going to renew, so you could find available listings as early as April. I would recommend starting your search as soon as possible, to give yourself some peace of mind and time for planning and budgeting long before your first day!

You will want to be in Kansas City by the end of July, so consider looking for leases that begin on the July 1 or mid-July, if possible.

Helpful websites when searching for housing:

• www.trulia.com
• www.zillow.com
• www.hotpads.com
• www.apartmentfinder.com
• www.apartments.com
• www.rent.com
• www.leasingkc.com
• www.zumper.com
• www.apartmentguide.com
• www.rentcafe.com
• www.apartmentlist.com
• www.apartmenthomeliving.com

Deciding where to live

Look for housing proximate to bus lines if you plan on using KCATA (the local bus system) as your primary method of transportation. Visit RideKC online or download the RideKC app to explore bus routes.

Approximately 90% of our AmeriCorps members drive or carpool to service, which might offer you more flexibility when deciding where you’d like to live.

The following neighborhoods are popular areas for our AmeriCorps members:

• Downtown
• River Market
• Northeast
• Crossroads
• Midtown
• Westport
• Plaza/UMKC
• Northland
• Waldo
• Overland Park/Mission/Lenexa
• Independence
• KCK/ Wyandotte County

A majority of our corps members live in the areas listed above. But be sure to look at these locations carefully as some are up to 35 miles outside of the city. Keep in mind that service could start as early as 6:30 am depending upon your school placement. It is up to you to decide what is realistic for you.

Finding roommates

While it is possible to live alone in a studio or one bedroom apartment on the City Year Kansas City stipend, it is much harder to find options that are within a price range that would fit your budget. Finding one or two roommates will help stretch your dollar, build community, and open the door to many more affordable housing options.

You can use the City Year Kansas City confirmed corps member Slack channel to begin connecting with other people you will be serving with.

In the spring, we will also send out a housing survey to anyone looking for roommates, so you can see who else is interested in living together and start to determine compatibility and begin to build relationships with other corps members!

Budgeting for housing

Your first City Year bi-weekly stipend will not arrive until two to three weeks after your official start date, so it is important to have money saved to cover some upfront housing costs. Plan now to be able to pay first & last months’ rent plus a damage deposit. Most rentals require deposits and pets sometimes also require an additional deposit.

Average monthly rent for apartments in Kansas City ranges from $550-$1600 depending on location and size divided amongst roommates. Additionally, there is a lot of income-based housing in KC, typically in downtown lofts, so be sure to check for that option.

Again, we strongly suggest living with roommates to cut down on living costs. The average cost of rent for our AmeriCorps members is between $400-$800 per month.

When renting an apartment, ask about the following fees as they frequently apply.

• Security deposit – typically one month’s rent, returned at the end of the lease if the property’s condition is maintained
• First month’s rent – typically due upon signing of the lease agreement
• Last month’s rent – may be requested upon signing of the lease agreement

Some utilities are included in the price of rent, so be sure to ask your landlord. When viewing apartments, most landlords or current tenants will gladly tell you the average price of utilities, so don’t be afraid to ask. It is also helpful to ask what utilities the house uses, such as gas or electric heat. Some units and buildings include laundry, for free or a cost, while others are located near laundromats.