The Troost Divide: New Injustice Arising from Gentrification in Kansas City, Missouri

Abstract

Kansas City, Missouri (KCMO) is a city defined by its divisions, none so damning as the racial and socioeconomical split produced by Troost Avenue, a former commercial district that has seen severe decline over the past century due to redlining and racially restrictive housing covenants. In recent years the city government of KCMO has made efforts to blur this divide by investing in properties directly adjacent to the avenue. Through public-private partnerships, these flagship properties have excelled not only in uplifting the economic status of Troost neighborhoods, but also rewriting the fabric of a historically marginalized community. Resident narratives, combined with an analysis of US Census Bureau data, are evidence that the city has been successful in gentrifying the harsh racial divide at its heart. However, in a bid to correct the wrongs of the past, the city has created new inequalities and exacerbated the socioeconomic distress of long-time residents. This case study delves into the developmental history of KCMO and what narratives the city has constructed through its comprehensive plans to justify revitalization in the Troost Avenue neighborhood, and how these actions have impacted the existing community of Troost Avenue. The story is more complicated than gentrification alone, and this case study offers a more nuanced perspective on downtown revitalization as a leading cause of urban inequality.