Westside Housing Organization began in 1973 and has about 11 to 50 employees with people like Carmen Lopez Murguia serving as executive director, Liz Epstein as director of operations and strategic initiatives, and Susan Taylor as interim director, while others like Gloria Fisher, Fabiola Rivas, Gloria Ortiz Fisher, and Brenda Muirhead help out with finance and advising, and the main place you'll find them is at 919 West 24th Street in Kansas City, MO, right there in the Old Firestation #9. The group is a non-profit, a 501(c)(3), and approved by HUD, focused on helping people find affordable housing, keep homes safe, and stay in communities that have a real sense of belonging, plus they've got other locations like 1735 Summit Street, and handle various apartment communities like Posada Del Sol Senior Community, Nottingham Apartments, and Westside Apartments - 500 Building, most of which come with income restrictions to help seniors and those with low or moderate incomes. The staff has a good reputation for being friendly, helpful, and creating a welcoming environment, and if you need lots of paperwork-like a photo ID, proof of income, your tax returns, proof of insurance, or social security numbers-they'll help you sort through that so you can get access to service programs if you qualify. They focus their work on both Westside neighborhoods from 12th to 39th Street and between Paseo and State Line Road, as well as the Northeast neighborhoods with ZIP codes 64123 and 64124 north of Truman between Topping and Paseo, and the main goal in these areas is to make neighborhoods safer, more affordable, and healthier for people of all ages.
Westside Housing Organization helps with home repair through the RAMP Home Rehabilitation Program for big jobs and a Minor Home Repair Program for small things like roofing, porch work, or furnace repair, and will sometimes help homeowners get work done by contracting repairs. They've also got programs like credit counseling, help with keeping your home if you fall behind on payments, financial literacy training, and a homebuyer education course that gives you a certificate when you finish, so if you ever wondered how to shop for a home or keep it up, they'll walk you through all that in group sessions or one-on-one conversations. For seniors, they offer homes and apartments that are handicap accessible, have options for social gatherings, nutritious meals, trained aides for daily care like dressing and bathing, plus support and therapies for people living with Alzheimer's or dementia to help cut down on confusion and wandering, and some apartments are set up to feel like a regular home but with help available when you need it. The group also helps with rental counseling, support for people who are homeless, and individual development accounts, all meant to build up a person's skills and security.
They take community development seriously by working with residents, local business owners, and anyone who calls the neighborhood home to build partnerships and support programs that guide everything from sustainable energy to job training and have even taken a shot at solar projects so lower-income households can save on bills or avoid losing power. They use a lot of modern fundraising tools too, like Free the Fee, text-to-donate, recurring donations, donation matching, and even let people give through special events, e-commerce, APIs, and birthday fundraisers, so folks who want to help can get involved in different ways. The board of directors and finance committee keep a close eye on the books by handling financial statements, budgets, tax prep, and year-end closing, plus they've set up custom databases to manage tax relief programs, payroll, and housing records, all while staying compliant with HUD, MHDC, CDBG, and the city.
If you live in Kansas City and need help with home repairs, affordable apartments, or advice on owning or keeping a home, Westside Housing Organization stands out for sticking to their mission-building resilient, sustainable, connected communities where people feel safe and can afford to live, and they do it by showing up every day and working alongside the very people they serve, offering support for health, housing, and society needs, with extra efforts to help seniors stay active and supported as long as they possibly can.
