Kavahn Mansouri

Each year, volunteers venture out nationwide on a single night for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s point-in-time count in an effort to tally the country’s homeless population. Rural volunteers say they rely on the count to aid their unhoused populations. Meanwhile, experts say HUD may be undercounting.

As the cost to buy a home continues to rise in the Midwest, real estate experts say the regional rental market offers affordable housing options and biding your time before buying may be the smart move in 2025.

Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey takes aim at a recently passed Jackson County ordinance that banned people under the age of 21 from possessing certain firearms.

States had until the end of September to distribute federal rescue funds to school districts to help students struggling with housing get equal access to education. Barring extensions, most states will leave money on the table — including several in the Midwest.

The Midwest Newsroom and its partners found that homeless students eligible for enrollment, transportation and academic support in most rural school districts are not getting these services because the districts are undercounting students without stable housing and not applying for available funds.

The owners of one of Kansas City's and St. Louis’ highest-profile development firms face federal fraud charges in an alleged scheme that officials say defrauded a St. Louis city minority and women’s owned business program.

Backyard and large-scale farmers in the Midwest and around the country report more deliveries that arrive too late for baby birds to survive. The trend is part of complaints about the USPS as it tries to stem budgetary bleeding.

In 2022, residents of this district told reporters they felt forgotten by elected officials. On a return visit, we heard from voters that long-serving U.S. Rep. Sam Graves doesn’t spend much time connecting with constituents here. Still, with wide support, he’s destined for a 12th term.

Three years after federal aid was earmarked to ensure homeless students get an education, millions of dollars remain unspent in the Midwest and around the country. In September, what’s left of the one-time funding will be returned to the U.S. Treasury.

Nationwide, rents and the cost of living are increasing. Eviction filings are “a great indicator of housing insecurity,” says a researcher from Princeton University’s Eviction Lab.