Moving back to Kansas City in 2-4 months. (Lee's Summit, Overland: subletting, apartment complex)

[raoh23]

Hey guys, I'm a 40 y/o single black male currently living in NYC and I'm seriously considering moving back to the Midwest. The people are so much easier to get along with and I've encountered much less bigotry. Despite having high paying (low for NYC) job, city sights and food, the city has lost much of it's luster in my eyes. I was very partial to Kansas City due to a few years I spent there but I have some questions due to various situations I'm in. The only thing I have going for me is the fact that I'm single with
no family. so i'm not tethered to anything or anyone. But here are my concerns and questions.

*Depending on who you ask, my credit ranges from bad to "limited history". Also, I've done handshake subletting deals for the past 5 years so my name won't be on any rental history for that time. But my rental history up until 5 years ago was perfect. How hard would it be for me to get an apartment these days? Because of saving, I can live for a few months without a job while I seek one but I'd rather not live in the inner city, Downtown or Midtown Kansas City. I have my reasons. I DO understand that with a checkered credit history, I will have to pay more for deposits etc. and I've accepted that. I can live in places like Overland Park, Lees Summit, Olathe, Shawnee and Lenexa as well as KC. With my lifestyle I can afford up to $1100 a month in rent.

*I have social anxiety problems as well as a driving phobia. I am unable to drive any vehicle. So if public transit isn't available, I always live within walking distance of
my job. That was my main attraction with NYC. Are there any ideal areas where there are plenty of retail, restaurants, grocery, Walmart's etc that are walk-able to apartment
communities? I'd also be fine if there were public transit options available. My job search would start there. I only have retail, hospital and warehouse job experience and
that type of work is everywhere, so I would imagine it wouldn't be that difficult.

Any info based on my criteria would greatly help. Thank you all.

[kcmo]

You are asking for a lot. You don't want to live in the city, but need to be near transit because you can't drive. I think you have been away from KC too long. Suburban KC is nearly 100% auto dependent. You might be able to get by if you lived near a major thoroughfare like North Oak Trafficway or even Metcalf Ave, but places like Lee's Summit and Olathe and Shawnee are not going to work.

You might look into Mission, Kansas. A lot of Jo Buses converge there at the transit center and you have some transit access to central KCMO as well. That may be your best bet.

I would say you will need to find a job and then find an apartment complex within blocks of your job which will not be easy in KC's suburbs where things are very spread out and zoning is still stuck in the 1970's.

[TabulaRasa]

Honestly, the dependency upon public transportation will probably be a significant stumbling block.

[catjones]

I don't know how long ago you were in KC, but midtown has changed A LOT in the past 10-20 years. So if it's crime/etc. that was making you not fond of it, perhaps you could see how much it's changed. The bus systems are pretty good in that area, I've ridden them myself. Many affordable rentals.

I'll agree with others, p much no public transit exists in the suburbs, unfortunately. There really aren't any places I can think of where you could live and walk to work AND groceries, etc. You'd have to make a choice.

Also you're way more likely to avoid a credit check around there.

[luzianne]

Living in Johnson County without transportation wouldn't be out of the question. Like someone else said, first find a job - then most likely you'd be able to find someplace to live within walking distance. Like if you lived somewhere around 119th and Black Bob to Strang Line Road, there are a whole lot of businesses in that area where you could probably find a job, and there are apartments as well. And it's not like there is no public transportation in Johnson County. Here are the schedules for The Jo. Johnson County Transit - The JO

[MOKAN]

Originally Posted by raoh23

Hey guys....

Your best bet without a car is the corridor between the River Market and Waldo. That's where the best bus service is in the city, including the likely new-to-you Main Street MAX route. There are over 100,000 jobs in that corridor. The city has been cleaned up and changed drastically. There's a new, very nice and full-size urban grocery store smack in the center of downtown called Cosentino's, which is part of the new Power and Light District. The Power and Light District has filled out and completely changed the what used to be the runned-down and largely-abandoned south side of downtown. The River Market is doing great. The Crossroads District south of the downtown loop is doing great and is will probably be totally new to you. Crown Center is doing great. The Plaza is doing great and there's a new Whole Foods soon to be built. Westport is doing a lot better and has calmed down in terms of crime. The west side of midtown, west of Southwest Trafficway is great and perfectly safe. The W. 39th St restaurant district at 39th and State Line Rd is great and may be new to you. The rest of midtown largely lags behind the progress of some other areas I've mentioned, but during the day passing through is no problem at all even if you don't want to live there. Armour BLVD has been renovated into market-rate apartments and greatly improved. I don't know how long it's been since you've lived here, but there's a Home Depot and Costco at Linwood and Main that replaced the bad neighborhood called Warner Plaza that used to be there. The South Plaza district is emerging as a complete neighborhood and is great. Brookside is great. Waldo is great and may have improved since you've been here last. If you want a more suburban area on the best bus line in the city and with modest rent, I'd recommend Waldo. If you want the most complete walkability available in the KC area, I'd recommend downtown. Do you know about the new downtown street car line that is being built?

If you must live in a suburban area, I second KCMO's recommendation and suggest major corridors like North Oak in the Northland, Wornall in South Kansas City, or maybe 78th and State Ave in KCK. All three of those corridors have great bus service for suburban areas and have plenty of apartment complexes, grocery stores, etc. I would not recommend Johnson County if you're dependent on public transit, but along the new The Jo Connex route (Metcalf and Johnson Dr east of Metcalf) would be your best bet if you did. The Jo's bus service, even the Connex route, is limited during the week and I don't think it runs on weekends at all.