In the development of its five-year Consolidated Plan and fair housing study, the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, KS was looking to support robust community engagement to understand housing and community development needs and opportunities while clearly communicating the results of planning efforts to communities focused on implementation.

Mosaic used a variety of approaches to achieve meaningful engagement with residents and other stakeholders, including community workshops, stakeholder focus groups and interviews, a community-wide survey, and promotion of the planning process through the UG’s website and social media. Four community workshops on housing and community development needs and fair housing issues‑ including a virtual workshop with simultaneous Spanish language interpretation- provided residents with a variety of opportunities for both virtual and in-person participation.

Key goals identified by residents and stakeholders included improving housing access and quality, providing housing and services for people experiencing or at-risk of homelessness, improving public facilities and infrastructure, providing public services, and supporting economic development. Mosaic presented the results of the community engagement process, key priorities and goals, and the Unified Government’s planned projects at the UG’s Livable Neighborhoods Task Force monthly meeting.

The Unified Government’s Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice included extensive mapping and data analysis regarding segregation and integration, concentration of poverty, access to opportunity, and housing needs. The study provided recommendations to address these specific fair housing concerns in Wyandotte County and Kansas City.