The perception of Kansas City’s affordability is changing. After years of stagnant wages and skyrocketing rents, many metro residents are not able to find affordable housing.

Starting in 2018, KCPT and its digital news team at Flatland are “raising the roof” in a reporting series featuring in-depth videos, online stories, and broadcast town halls.

From evictions, to gentrification, to the fight over apartments and rent, we take a closer look at how housing issues are impacting health, education and the long-term viability of neighborhoods. If you have a story to tell or a tip for us, we’d love to hear from you. Tweet at us @flatlandkc and like us on Facebook.

Part 1: The State of Our Infrastructure

"Public Works? | The Cost of Our Aging Infrastructure | Water"

The Cost of Our Water | Episode 1

If you’ve ever wondered where your water comes from, how it gets there, and what shape those pipes are in, “The Cost of Water | Episode 1 ” opens a five-part digital series giving an overview on our city’s aging infrastructure. Public Works? The Cost of Our Aging Infrastructure is a months-long project taking you underneath the pavement to tackle the…

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"Public Works? | The Cost of Our Aging Infrastructure"

The Cost of Our Sewers | Episode 2

If you’ve ever wondered about the inner workings of our region’s sewers and how the city is working to stop raw sewage from leaking into area waterways, “The Cost of Our Sewers | Episode 2” goes underground in the second of a five-part digital series looking at our city’s aging infrastructure. Public Works? The Cost of Our Aging Infrastructure…

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If you’ve ever wondered about the safety of the bridges you drive across everyday, "The Cost of Bridges | Episode 3" checks out what's being done to preserve the life of the city's bridges in the third of a five-part digital series looking at our city’s aging infrastructure.

The Cost of Our Bridges | Episode 3

If you’ve ever wondered about the safety of the bridges you drive across everyday, “The Cost of Bridges | Episode 3” looks at what’s being done to preserve the life of the city’s bridges in the third of a five-part digital series looking at our city’s aging infrastructure. Public Works? The Cost of Our Aging Infrastructure is a months-long project taking you underneath…

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The Cost of Our Roads | Episode 4

If you’ve ever wondered how Kansas and Missouri maintain their roadways, “The Cost of Roads | Episode 4,” looks at what’s being done to fund the roads Kansas Citians rely on everyday in the fourth of a five-part digital series looking at our city’s aging infrastructure. Public Works? The Cost of Our Aging Infrastructure is a months-long project taking you underneath the pavement…

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The Cost of Our Public Transit | Episode 5

Get an insider’s look at what’s being done to improve the region’s public transit system and increase access to jobs in “The Cost of Our Public Transit | Episode 5,” the final of a five-part digital series looking at our city’s aging infrastructure. Public Works? The Cost of Our Aging Infrastructure is a months-long project taking you underneath the pavement to tackle the state of…

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It’s the Journey: A Slice of Bus Life

Climb on board as we follow three Kansas City residents as they navigate daily life on our regional bus system. One surprising point agreed upon from both those who need to use it and those who want to use it: It may be the key to a stronger community. Public Works? The Cost of Our…

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Downstream

Downstream As Kansas City Grows, Rivers Become Increasingly Urbanized By: Jesse Howe Kansas City is served by multiple watersheds, the Blue River being the largest. (184,998 Acres) The watershed runs through four counties before it reaches the Missouri River. 54 percent of the watershed is in Kansas 46 percent is in Missouri Approximately 63 percent of…

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All Public Works Posts

The Cost of Our Public Transit | Episode 5

Get an insider’s look at what’s being done to improve the region’s public transit system and increase access to jobs in “The Cost of Our Public Transit | Episode 5,” the final of a five-part digital series looking at our city’s aging infrastructure. Public Works? The Cost of Our Aging Infrastructure is a months-long project taking you underneath the pavement to tackle the state of…

Read More >
A bus and a streetcar.

Bus vs. Streetcar Debate: No Easy Answers

More than a decade ago, the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority launched an express bus system along Main Street between the Country Club Plaza and the City Market. Known as the Metro Area Express, or MAX, that 6-mile route proved so successful that five years later, in 2010, the authority added another line along Troost…

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Picture of pothole

Send Us Your Pothole Pictures

If you drive in the Kansas City metro, chances are you’ve hit a pothole and cringed as you imagine what it may have done to your car.

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"Public Works? The Cost of Our Aging Infrastructure. "

The Cost of Our Public Transit | Preview

If you’ve ever thought about the importance of the city’s public transit system, follow The Cost of Public Transit, the final in a five-part general overview series on our city’s aging infrastructure. Here’s a preview in advance of Monday’s Episode 5. All five overview episodes culminate in a 30-minute documentary at 7:30 p.m., March 2 on KCPT. — Follow the entire project online…

Read More >

The Cost of Our Roads | Episode 4

If you’ve ever wondered how Kansas and Missouri maintain their roadways, “The Cost of Roads | Episode 4,” looks at what’s being done to fund the roads Kansas Citians rely on everyday in the fourth of a five-part digital series looking at our city’s aging infrastructure. Public Works? The Cost of Our Aging Infrastructure is a months-long project taking you underneath the pavement…

Read More >
"Public Works? The Cost of Our Aging Infrastructure. "

The Cost of Our Roads | Preview

If you’ve ever thought about the state and age of the roads you drive everyday, follow The Cost of Roads, the fourth in a five-part general overview series on our city’s aging infrastructure. Here’s a preview in advance of Monday’s Episode 4. All five overview episodes culminate in a 30-minute documentary at 7:30 p.m., March 2 on KCPT. — Follow the entire project…

Read More >
An illustration of a leaky pipe system

A City Haunted by Ghost Water

It first bubbled up a year ago as a steady stream at the edge of Harry Ellis’ well-kept lawn. It flowed across the nearby roadway north of the river and splattered mud on passing cars. In the winter, it formed an icy glaze. The people from the city came. They dug down to their pipes…

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If you’ve ever wondered about the safety of the bridges you drive across everyday, "The Cost of Bridges | Episode 3" checks out what's being done to preserve the life of the city's bridges in the third of a five-part digital series looking at our city’s aging infrastructure.

The Cost of Our Bridges | Episode 3

If you’ve ever wondered about the safety of the bridges you drive across everyday, “The Cost of Bridges | Episode 3” looks at what’s being done to preserve the life of the city’s bridges in the third of a five-part digital series looking at our city’s aging infrastructure. Public Works? The Cost of Our Aging Infrastructure is a months-long project taking you underneath…

Read More >
"Public Works? The Cost of Our Aging Infrastructure. "

The Cost of Our Bridges | Preview

If you’ve ever thought about the safety of the bridges you drive over everyday, follow The Cost of Bridges, the third in a five-part general overview series on our city’s aging infrastructure. Here’s a preview in advance of Monday’s Episode 3. All five overview episodes culminate in a 30-minute documentary at 7:30 p.m., March 2 on KCPT. — Follow the entire project online…

Read More >
"History of Brush Creek"

Our Watershed | A History of Brush Creek

From questions of quality — think Flint, Michigan — to questions of access — think the Dakota Access Pipeline — understanding our finite resource of water starts at home. Our story starts with Brush Creek, a landmark in the heart of Kansas City named for the brush that once grew on its sides. Brush Creek,…

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"Public Works? | The Cost of Our Aging Infrastructure"

The Cost of Our Sewers | Episode 2

If you’ve ever wondered about the inner workings of our region’s sewers and how the city is working to stop raw sewage from leaking into area waterways, “The Cost of Our Sewers | Episode 2” goes underground in the second of a five-part digital series looking at our city’s aging infrastructure. Public Works? The Cost of Our Aging Infrastructure…

Read More >
"Public Works? The Cost of Our Aging Infrastructure. "

The Cost of Our Sewers | Preview

If you’ve ever wondered about the inner workings of our region’s sewers and how the city is working to stop raw sewage from leaking into area waterways, follow The Cost of Sewers, the second in of a five-part general overview series on our city’s aging infrastructure. Here’s a preview in advance of Monday’s Episode 2. All five overview episodes culminate in a 30-minute documentary at…

Read More >
"Public Works? | The Cost of Our Aging Infrastructure | Water"

The Cost of Our Water | Episode 1

If you’ve ever wondered where your water comes from, how it gets there, and what shape those pipes are in, “The Cost of Water | Episode 1 ” opens a five-part digital series giving an overview on our city’s aging infrastructure. Public Works? The Cost of Our Aging Infrastructure is a months-long project taking you underneath the pavement to tackle the…

Read More >
"Public Works? The Cost of Our Aging Infrastructure. "

The Cost of Our Water | Preview

If you’ve ever wondered where your water comes from, how it gets there, and what shape those pipes are in, follow The Cost of Water, the first in of a five-part general overview series on our city’s aging infrastructure. Here’s a preview in advance of Monday’s Episode 1. All five overview episodes culminate in a 30-minute documentary at 7:30 p.m., March 2…

Read More >
Pipes and city outline

Infrastructure By the Numbers

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