Johnson County: Areas of Concern
After asking county stakeholders about their perception of Johnson County strengths, we asked them their thoughts on issues and problems in the county. Their responses emphasized the downsides of development, lack of affordable housing, and issues with public transportation.
"I moved out at 18 in 2020 making $12 an hour, part-time at FedEx. My apartment is a 1000 square feet and my first lease was $600. My current lease is now $950. It's the same unit, no improvements, no renovations. And they informed me that if I renewed again, it's going to be $1,100. Warehouse wages have gone up too, but not enough. And already I was spending most of my paycheck on it."
-Anonymous Student
Affordable housing consistently emerged as a key issue. One interviewee described their personal experience as a young adult trying to live independently in Johnson County:
This issue leads to people who serve the county not being able to afford to live there.
“Getting really personal here, we opted not to live in Johnson County because of how expensive homes are. And I wanted to - it's where I was born and grew up."
- JCPRD Employee
“There are a lot of retirement homes in Johnson County, but there's not good bus service. People who work in those retirement homes need to drive a distance and gas is expensive. And they don't find housing around here."
-Faith Leader
"They want the services that warehouse workers provide. Logistics, transportation, you know what I mean? And they expect a certain level of service, even from the person sweeping the floor."
-Anonymous Student
Many interviewees identified houselessness as a growing problem, especially those who worked closely with the population, such as librarians and community mental health workers.
Project 10/20 is the only homeless shelter in Johnson County, and it’s only open during cold weather months.
The Point-in-Time count takes place on January first each year. However, it fails to capture the extent of the problem.
"I think that we're still in an infancy stage for answering the problem of the unhoused. We are seeing things that other communities have been working through and problem solving for a while. And I think some of this feels new for some folks in the community, and it's like we were able to push this of... send them to shelters in Kansas City, Mo. We can send them away, but we really can't, because they're part of our community."
-JOCO Librarian
Development comes with a cost. Several interviewees identified feeling excluded from the county due to not being part of the affluent majority. Poverty and social exclusion are deeply intertwined.
"There's a lot of growth, which is really cool, but it's also concerning because prices are going up, and that is very hurtful for a lot of people. I grew up not having a lot of money, and when I started working with clients, I saw I wasn't the only one who felt like an outsider because I didn’t have the same resources as others. The more development that we have makes those people become even more silent."
-Johnson County Mental Health Employee
Johnson County has a historical legacy of social exclusion.
"I think the demographics of Johnson County influence the way they use those resources. In my opinion, it's not for the greatest good of the greatest number of people."
- Anonymous Student
"If I had to design an ideal metric for success for us, it would honestly be kids on bikes with fishing poles. If kids can safely ride their bikes, find their way somewhere, and spend their time outside, that, to me, would indicate enormous success. If we don't prioritize them, all that opportunity just evaporates, and future kids, future generations, they won't have that."
-Johnson County Parks and Recreation Employee