Kansas City leaders pitch solution in fight against property crime

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — As property crimes continue to bedevil business owners across Kansas City, the city council and the mayor are doing what they say is a step in the right direction.

That step gives money directly to small businesses to help the owners either repair their shops or add security.

“It’s extremely upsetting to have this happen to you,” said one small business owner.

“This isn’t about Brookside or Waldo, or East Crossroads or individual neighborhoods; this is about how can we step up for our business in Kansas City,” Mayor Quinton Lucas said Thursday.

Leaders say they are doing their best to address a problem that seems to be sweeping all parts of the city: Property crime, and particularly, property crime that is affecting small businesses.

“We want to make sure that we’re looking at the prevention side. That’s the funds that go up to $5,000, and also how people recover,” Lucas said.

The ordinance, if passed, would give businesses damaged by burglaries and vandalism up to $3,000 to help with cost and $5,000 for those who put in extra security, such as locks and cameras.

There’s $325,000 in the pot to be pulled from. At this moment, the city has not finalized the criteria but compares it to applying for a grant.

The goal is to help between 100 and 150 small businesses.

“Maybe that extra few thousands doesn’t seem like a lot to others, but it’s a lot to you. To the question, ‘Is this everything?’ The answer is no. Again, we know we have a lot of work to do,” Lucas said.

Leaders hope that this will pass next Thursday, but first, it must go to the committee.

What the application will look like and when people can apply is information that will be released if this ordinance is passed.

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