The Urban Neighborhood Initiative (UNI) serves as a vital force for transformation within a two-square-mile area of Kansas City’s urban core—bounded by Troost Avenue, Prospect Avenue, Truman Road, and 52nd Street. Home to more than 45,000 residents across ten neighborhoods, this area faces deeply entrenched socioeconomic challenges rooted in a legacy of redlining, underinvestment, and systemic inequity.

The UNI-KC Block Connector Program was created to address these challenges by promoting community safety, health, and connection. Through regular events, safety initiatives, and neighborhood meetings, the program fosters trust, builds relationships, and empowers residents to be active partners in the renewal of their communities.

Strengthening Community Through Events

Annual Block Parties

Once a year, residents come together to celebrate their neighborhoods through block parties. These joyful events offer more than food, music, and games—they build relationships among neighbors, connect residents with UNI-KC staff, and encourage civic engagement in a relaxed, family-friendly atmosphere. Information booths from local service providers and safety demonstrations also help increase awareness of vital community resources.

Monthly Community Fairs

Each month, community resource fairs connect residents with the services they need to thrive. These events provide direct access to job training programs, financial counseling, educational materials, and social services. By bringing essential support directly into the neighborhoods, UNI-KC breaks down access barriers and builds a culture of inclusion and opportunity.

Quarterly Health Fairs

Recognizing that wellness is foundational to long-term stability, health fairs are hosted four times a year. Residents receive free health screenings, vaccinations, and mental health resources. These events also offer wellness workshops on topics such as nutrition, managing chronic conditions, and stress reduction—reinforcing the connection between physical and emotional health.

Safety & Community Policing Initiatives

Ongoing Collaboration with Law Enforcement

Safety is a shared responsibility. UNI-KC partners with local law enforcement to implement community policing strategies that emphasize trust-building, not surveillance. Regular activities include:

• Joint neighborhood patrols
• Safety education workshops
• Neighborhood watch coordination
• Open community meetings with officers

These efforts help reduce fear and mistrust, increase transparency, and foster a collaborative spirit between residents and police. By engaging law enforcement as partners in prevention, UNI-KC promotes safer streets and stronger relationships.

Consistent Communication Through Neighborhood Meetings

Monthly Forums for Resident Voices

Each month, UNI-KC facilitates neighborhood meetings across its ten partner communities. These forums allow residents to share concerns, suggest improvements, and participate in the planning of future projects. The meetings also provide timely updates on the Block Connector Program’s progress and outcomes.

This consistent, two-way communication ensures that community development is shaped by the people who live there—not just by outside organizations or policymakers.

Addressing Critical Socioeconomic Challenges

The UNI service area includes the neighborhoods of Beacon Hill, Blue Hills, Boston Heights-Mount Hope, Center City, Ivanhoe, Manheim, Squier Park, Troostwood, Key Coalition, and Wendell Phillips. These communities have been deeply impacted by decades of disinvestment.

Stark Economic Disparities

• The median household income in the UNI area is just $23,391, far below city and regional averages.
• More than 37% of residents live below the poverty line—nearly three times the regional rate.
• Only 1 in 3 households earns more than twice the federal poverty threshold, highlighting widespread economic instability.

This financial hardship leads to a range of interconnected problems—higher crime rates, limited access to education and employment, poor health outcomes, and social isolation.

The Root Causes: Crime, Education Gaps & Disconnection

Crime Linked to Economic Desperation

Local and national research show that poverty and crime are closely linked. Individuals facing severe financial stress are more likely to engage in survival-driven criminal behavior. This reality is reflected in Kansas City’s UNI neighborhoods, where violent and property crime rates are significantly higher than in other parts of the city.

High Mobility Undermines Community Bonds

Economic insecurity leads to frequent relocations, making it harder for residents to form lasting relationships. This transience weakens social ties, reduces trust, and contributes to feelings of disconnection—conditions that undermine safety and community resilience.

Youth at Risk

Young people growing up in economically challenged neighborhoods face serious disadvantages. Limited access to quality education and extracurricular opportunities leaves many vulnerable to involvement in crime or risky behavior. Without intervention, this cycle can repeat across generations.

A Vision For Lasting Change

The UNI-KC Block Connector Program offers a proactive, resident-centered solution to these challenges by building social capital and opening doors to opportunity.

Safer Neighborhoods

Through consistent engagement with residents and law enforcement, the program aims to reduce violence, enhance public trust, and create environments where children and families feel secure.

Stronger Social Bonds

Whether through monthly fairs, annual block parties, or regular meetings, the program builds a sense of belonging. Residents who know their neighbors are more likely to look out for one another, report suspicious activity, and get involved in neighborhood improvement efforts.

Empowered Residents

The program doesn’t just provide services—it connects people to possibilities. By offering access to vocational training, financial education, health resources, and social services, UNI-KC supports residents on their journey toward self-sufficiency.

Holistic Well-Being

Addressing poverty and crime means treating root causes—not just symptoms. By promoting mental, physical, and emotional wellness alongside economic development and public safety, the Block Connector Program supports the whole person and the whole community.

Sustainable, Resident-Led Growth

UNI-KC’s approach is grounded in community ownership. Residents help shape initiatives, lead events, and co-create solutions. This ensures that progress is inclusive, culturally relevant, and built to last.

A Model For Urban Renewal

Through the Block Connector Program, UNI-KC is building a model for how cities can revitalize their urban cores without displacement. Instead of investing in temporary fixes or top-down strategies, UNI is investing in people, relationships, and long-term capacity.

With continued support from funders, local agencies, and—most importantly—the residents themselves, this program is helping transform some of Kansas City’s most historically neglected neighborhoods into vibrant, connected communities.

Locations

Click on the window icon (upper right corner) of the map below to expand. List of all program locations is included with expanded view of map. Locations are also listed on this page below the map.