Forgotten Homes

Neighborhood Association Meeting - Currently not meeting

Forgotten Homes is a close-in Kansas City neighborhood just east of downtown, known for its historic housing stock and its connection to the East 12th Street corridor. The area includes notable late-19th-century buildings such as the structure at 2000 E. 12th Street (built circa 1899), remembered as the longtime home of Sarah Rector from 1920 to about 1929, a prominent figure in Kansas City’s Black history.

Culturally, Forgotten Homes sits alongside the story of 12th Street, which developed a reputation for nightlife and music, including accounts of “black and tan” clubs in the mid-20th century. Over time, disinvestment and vacancy left many homes and buildings at risk, but the neighborhood is now part of active community-led planning focused on rehabilitating vacant properties, building new infill housing, and keeping affordability and safety at the center while preserving historic character.