Kansas City, Missouri – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is giving Kansas City $6 million to help rebuild struggling neighborhoods. The EPA’s 2025 nationwide awards include these federal Brownfields grants. They will assist the city clean up contaminated sites and provide new life to empty lots that have been a problem for people and local officials for a long time.
The Washington Wheatley neighborhood and the site of the old Benson Manufacturing building at 18th and Agnes Avenue will get the largest part of the grant—$4 million. This grant is one of just eight in the country that was given at the highest level. This shows that Kansas City is becoming known as a pioneer in fair neighborhood redevelopment and the smart reuse of brownfield properties. The city can clean up contamination on 47 different lots with these funds. This will make room for affordable homes, new companies, and spaces that will benefit the neighborhood for years to come.
The other $2 million is a grant from the Supplemental Revolving Loan Fund. This addition gives Kansas City more money to lend at cheap interest rates and give out subgrants. This makes it easier for developers and community groups to clean up additional polluting areas in the city. This approach to a revolving fund implies that the advantages can keep growing as loans are paid back and used to fund more local projects.
“The $6 million EPA investment will accelerate our work transforming environmental challenges into neighborhood opportunities,” said Mayor Quinton Lucas.
“With $4 million to clean up sites in Washington Wheatley and at 18th & Agnes, plus $2 million for our Revolving Loan Fund, we’re creating a pathway for affordable housing and economic growth—particularly east of Troost. Being one of only eight cities nationwide to receive a cleanup grant at this level recognizes Kansas City’s leadership in equitable community development through brownfields revitalization,” Mayor Lucas added.
Kansas City has been working with EPA Brownfields initiatives for almost 30 years and has received more than $40 million in federal funding. That long-term dedication has already paid off in visible ways. Strategic investments can change the course of whole blocks, as shown by the Zhou B Art Center, Faxon School Apartments, and a new ALDI grocery store at 39th and Prospect, which were once empty.
“This is a milestone in restoring neighborhoods that have long been overlooked,” said Melissa Patterson Hazley, 3rd District at Large Councilmember. “With this EPA investment, we’re taking a major step toward transforming once-blighted vacant lots into vibrant, livable spaces. It shows that real results come when we commit to solving hard problems with bold, collaborative, and community-focused solutions.”
Read also: Kansas City airport joins 230+ others worldwide in promoting travel inclusivity
Kansas City’s Brownfields Program will keep turning land that has been ignored into valuable things for everyone, such new homes, jobs, green spaces, and companies, thanks to this newest round of federal funding. People who want to know more about the details and plans for the future can go to the city’s brownfields website.
 is giving Kansas City $6 million to help rebuild struggling neighborhoods){kind=link}