Advocacy Alert Regarding Potential Changes to our City Code for Short Term Rental Policies
- Nov 10, 2025
- 3 min read
Neighbors, we need your input on a proposed change to Kansas City's Short-Term Rental (STR) laws that could impact our quality of life, particularly leading up to major events like the FIFA World Cup!
The Neighborhood Planning & Development Committee is currently considering Ordinance #250965. This ordinance would create a new type of temporary STR permit within the existing program, largely in response to the anticipated surge in visitors for the World Cup.
📝 Summary of the Proposed Changes & Concerns
A recent testimony submitted to the Committee acknowledged that the ordinance retains the priority of protecting neighborhood integrity and the quality of life for long-term residents. However, it also requested clarification and changes to the implementation to avoid unintended consequences:
1. Change the Terminology: It asks to change the term "special event" to a more specific term like "major event".
Why? To clearly distinguish massive events like the World Cup from the "multitudes of special events" Kansas City hosts annually. Using a vague term could cause confusion, increase enforcement burden, and lead to more disruptive operators trying to violate the rules.
2. Define the Designation Process: The testimony advocates for City Council to determine which events are eligible for temporary STR permitting, requiring this designation to be adopted by a resolution using objective criteria.
Why? The proposed language currently delegates this authority solely to the Director of Neighborhood Services without defining criteria or requiring public engagement. Following the standard process through Committee and Council hearings would increase transparency and allow for crucial public engagement.
The testimony concludes by encouraging the Committee to approve the proposed language while carefully clarifying the implementation of this new permit type, emphasizing the value of long-term Kansas City residents and neighborhood quality of life.
🏛️ Understanding KCMO Legislative Procedures
When an ordinance (a proposed law) is introduced, it goes through a multi-step process before it can be adopted:
Introduction: An ordinance is presented to the City Council.
Committee Review: It's often assigned to a relevant committee—in this case, the Neighborhood Planning & Development Committee—for initial review. This is a critical time for public comment and feedback.
Hearings and Amendments: The committee holds hearings, considers public testimony, and may recommend amendments (changes) to the ordinance.
Full Council Vote: If passed by the committee, it moves to the full City Council for final adoption.
Your direct communication with the committee right now is highly effective, as it can influence the language and recommendations before it moves to the full Council.
🗣️ Take Action: Contact the Committee Today!
To ensure our Waldo Tower concerns about neighborhood integrity and clear code enforcement are taken seriously, please take a moment to contact the Committee:
Contact the Chair: Send a personalized email to the Mayor Pro Tem Parks-Shaw, Chair of the Neighborhood Planning & Development Committee, expressing your thoughts on Ordinance 250965. Her email is Ryana.Parks-Shaw@kcmo.org
Email Public Testimony: Send your written comments to the City Clerk using the public testimony email address for KCMO City Council - public.testimony@kcmo.org
When you reach out, be sure to reference Ordinance 250965 and focus your comments on the need for clear, specific terminology ("major event" instead of "special event") and the importance of City Council oversight and objective criteria for designating future events.
Let’s make sure the Committee hears from us loud and clear!
