Kansas City, Missouri, Nonprofit’s Planned Hostel-to-Shelter Conversion Faces Permit and Code Questions

The Hostel KC, located at East 14th Street and Agnes Avenue in Kansas City, was being prepared to host guests attending the World Cup as part of a fundraising effort by the Open Doors Foundation, according to a KCTV5 report. Funds raised from those guests were to support converting the hostel into a permanent shelter.

Beds in shared spaces were priced at $95 per night, which the report described as significantly lower than many local hotels. Open Doors uses a low-barrier model with no sobriety or religious requirements, offering shelter to people without first requiring them to meet those conditions. Offering a bed without preconditions reflects a practice of hospitality (Matthew 25:35).

According to KCTV5, Open Doors has assisted more than 600 individuals since its founding, and about half have moved toward permanent housing. Executive director Derek Decker said the organization housed nearly 100 people in just 16 months. Organizers hoped to complete the transition of the space by the end of July, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony scheduled for June 12.

A separate report by kansascity.com described Open Doors as a nonprofit providing low-barrier shelter and support services to people experiencing homelessness in northeast Kansas City. That report said the initiative was first conceived as a European-style hostel to accommodate World Cup visitors, but the hostel never opened for the World Cup. The two reports differ on this point, with KCTV5 describing the hostel as preparing to host guests and kansascity.com reporting that it never opened for the tournament.

City officials, including homeless prevention coordinator Josh Henges, praised the plan as innovative and “brilliant,” the kansascity.com report said. However, the city raised concerns about code and permit violations related to the proposed conversion. The site has not yet received a permit to function as a shelter. Open Doors operations director Mathew Smith described the setbacks as “pretty irreparable harm” to the organization’s growth.

City spokesperson Asia Jones referenced inspection documents showing that the most recent compliance visit to the property occurred on August 25, according to the report, but did not address questions about the permit. Council member Melissa Patterson Hazley said the 3rd District is generally supportive of homeless services, though some neighbors questioned whether Open Doors had the proper permits.