KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The new city council and re-elected mayor of Kansas City, Missouri, took their oaths of office during a public ceremony Tuesday morning.
Several hundred people attended the event to see Quinton Lucas begin his second term as mayor. Seven of the 12 city council members are new to the position.
People in attendance said they want their new leaders to focus on affordable housing, reinvesting in neighborhoods and supporting small businesses.
“They gotta have that stability,” said Diane Charity, a leader of KC Tenants. “Housing is a human right.”
Her group wants the city to investigate reports of source of income discrimination on leasing applications which can prevent people who get most of their income from social security, disability, or housing vouchers from getting a lease.
New councilman Jonathan Duncan is a member of KC Tenants. Charity hopes to work with him and other supporters to create social housing in Kansas City. Social housing is housing built to provide shelter, not create a profit.
During his inauguration speech, Lucas pledged to add 8,000 units of affordable housing over the next four years.
He also announced his intention to introduce two proposals this week focused on gun safety as a way to improve public safety.
“As our small businesses go, our city goes,” said Eze Redwood, an entrepreneur himself.
He’d like to see the new council support small businesses with ground-up approaches.
“We want to make sure that they are able to feel that support and that love in terms of all the options other cities are doing to support them,” Redwood said.
Crispin Rea is the first Latino on the council since 1994. Leaders in the Hispanic community hope he will put the spotlight on what they call “disinvested communities,” particularly on the west side which has a strong Hispanic population.
“Now let’s make a really strong effort to make us important and rebuild our neighborhoods,” said Pedro Zamora from the Hispanic Economic Development Corporation.
Lucas highlighted good things happening in the city: When the KC Current open their stadium next year, it’ll be the first purpose-built stadium for women’s sports; in 2026, the city will host games in the World Cup; the city’s also committed to resurfacing a record amount of roads.
He hopes to remove red tape so vacant homes in the Land Bank can become single-family residences again. The city is asking for proposals to run a shelter for the unhoused with wraparound services in mental health, employment, and substance abuse.
He promised to stay on track with climate-specific priorities and eliminate barriers for immigrants to get work permits in Kansas City.
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