Our Initiatives
We focus on structural changes that give the workforce a permanent voice in Overland Park. Our work falls into two categories: active policy campaigns where we advocate for specific reforms, and the ongoing work of keeping local government transparent and accessible.
Active Policy Campaigns
These are time-bound advocacy pushes tied to specific decisions being made by the City Council. We are currently mobilizing around two critical issues.
RTIC Governance
Accountability for Surveillance Tech
The city is investing $22.4 million in a Real-Time Intelligence Center (RTIC) that integrates drones, license plate readers, body cameras, and private camera feeds through the Axon Fusus platform. This system is launching rapidly ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will bring 650,000 visitors to the region.
Governance must be built alongside capability, not retrofitted after problems emerge. Over two dozen cities have adopted oversight frameworks for this technology. None are in Kansas. Overland Park has the opportunity to lead the state by doing this right.
What we're advocating for:
We have developed a comprehensive ordinance that provides Council authorization on renewable terms. Key provisions include a ban on facial recognition with no exceptions, strict data sovereignty rules to prevent vendor resale, a civilian advisory panel, incident-based requirements for database queries, and a public transparency framework.
UDO Reform
Fixing the Zoning Code
Overland Park is currently rewriting its Unified Development Ordinance (UDO), the rulebook that determines what gets built and where. This is a once-in-a-decade window to fix the structural rules that drive up housing costs.
The problem is clear: the city is building fewer than half the housing units it needs annually. Since 2021, only one home has been built at the price point needed by the average workforce family. The zoning code, with its rigid mandates on lot sizes and parking, is a major reason why.
What we're advocating for:
We are pushing for specific, evidence-backed changes grounded in the city's own comprehensive plan, FrameworkOP. These include legalizing Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) citywide, permitting "missing middle" housing like duplexes in single-family zones, reducing minimum lot sizes to make starter homes feasible, reforming costly parking mandates, and modernizing the outdated definition of "family" that restricts how residents can live together.
How We Work
Beyond specific campaigns, we maintain a permanent infrastructure for civic engagement. These are the activities we do every week to keep the door to City Hall open.
Voter Education
We produce nonpartisan election hubs with candidate comparisons, forum summaries, and questionnaires. We don't endorse candidates; we ensure residents have the information to make their own choices.
Government Transparency
We monitor city meetings, file targeted record requests (KORA), and fact-check official statements. When decisions are made behind closed doors, we work to bring the details into the public record.
Council Engagement
We organize direct communication with council members and coordinate public comment participation, ensuring that resident perspectives are heard on the official record before votes are cast.
Online Advocacy
We meet residents where they are: on Reddit, Facebook, Nextdoor, and Instagram. We translate complex policy agendas into plain language and provide concrete ways for people to engage digitally.
Relationship Building
We maintain productive relationships across the political spectrum, including with city leadership, the business community, and the Chamber of Commerce. We can disagree on policy while working together on process.
What's Next
Community Forums
We are in the early stages of planning in-person forums at coffee shops and community centers to move the conversation offline and deeper into neighborhoods.
Volunteer Recruitment
We are actively recruiting for roles that don't require public speaking: note-takers, video editors, fact-checkers, and researchers.
Ready to get involved?
Whether you care about housing, privacy, or just want to know what's happening in your city, there's a place for you here.