KCMO Candidate Profiles

As the city of Kansas City’s general election on June 20 nears, KCHBA would like to highlight individuals whom we believe to be the most housing-friendly candidates and will make it their mission to support business and growth in our great city. Each one of these candidates has received a contribution this cycle approved by the KCHBA PAC Committee.

Nathan Willett for Kansas City District 1 (In-District)

Nathan Willett is running for KC City Council District 1. He was heavily involved in the community meetings during the city’s adoption of the 2021 IECC. He is endorsed by current District 1 Councilwoman Heather Hall. Nathan was born and raised in the Northland and is currently a teacher at the Park Hill School District. For more information on Nathan or his campaign, visit his website, www.nathanforthenorthland.com.

Kevin O’Neill for Kansas City District 1 (At-Large)

Kevin O’Neill is running for his second term for KC City Council District 1 At-Large. During the 2021 IECC Adoption, Kevin was the council member who assisted in introducing a substitute to the codes ordinance that would have had the city of KCMO adopt an amended 2018 IECC, which is regionally consistent with surrounding communities and well understood by all stakeholders. Kevin is a lifelong resident of KCMO and has been the publisher and editor of the Labor Beacon Newspaper for more than 30 years. For more information about his campaign, visit Kevin’s website: www.kevinoforkc.com.

Lindsay French for Kansas City District 2 (At-Large)

Lindsay French has over 15 years of experience working in city planning, landscape architecture, and urban design and will bring a fresh perspective to City Council. Lindsay is an active member of the Northland Regional Chamber of Commerce and serves on several committees. A few other organizations she has heavy involvement in are the Mid-America Regional Council (MARC), Northland Neighborhoods Inc. and KCMO Downtown Council & Infrastructure Committee. For more information about Lindsay visit her website: www.lindsayfrenchforkc.com.

Melissa Patterson-Hazley for Kansas City District 3 (At-Large)

Melissa Patterson-Hazley is a lifelong resident of the 3rd district. Her top priority is to facilitate the creation of a streamlined development process so that builders can construct diverse housing more quickly in areas that need it most, including improving processes related to the Land Bank. She currently serves as the Director of Community Research, Training and Evaluation at UMKC and sits on several community and development boards across the city. For more information about her campaign, visit Melissa’s website: www.mph4kcmo.com.

Henry Rizzo for Kansas City District 4 (In-District)

Since the announcement of his candidacy, Henry Rizzo has been very vocal in his intent to support the development and growth of the city of Kansas City. His top priorities include streamlining processes and removing barriers for the development community in order to create more attainable, diverse housing. Another top priority is neighborhood safety and putting an emphasis on community policing and working in partnership with law enforcement. Henry is a lifelong Kansas Citian, a former Missouri State Representative and former Chairman of the Jackson County Legislature. For more information on Henry or his campaign, visit his website: www.rizzoforthecity.com.

Justin Short for Kansas City District 4 (At-Large)

Justin Short is a native Northlander turned Downtown KC resident. Public service runs in his family as a son of a former Platte County Commissioner. He continues to stress that development means economic growth, and economic growth means a prosperous city that can support its residents. Learn more about Justin’s campaign at www.justinshortforkc.com.

Darrell Curls for Kansas City District 5 (At-Large)

Darrell Curls has a long history of political leadership and civic engagement within the city. He currently serves as a board member of Freedom, Inc. and is an active member of the South Kansas City Alliance and the Northland Chamber of Commerce. He previously served as president of the Hickman Mills School Board and is a member of the KCMO Public Improvements Advisory Committee (PIAC). One of his top priorities is supporting development and creating pathways to attainable housing for all. He is also committed to making improvements in our current infrastructure to attract more new development that will create high-quality employment opportunities for city citizens. Learn more about Darrell’s campaign at www.votecurlsforcouncil.com/about-5.

Dan Tarwater for Kansas City District 6 (In-District)

Dan Tarwater was elected to the Jackson County Legislature in 1994 and served up until 2022. He currently works with Twin Lakes Insurance Company. For 28 years he has served as the chairman of the KCMO Anti-Drug Committee. He also is a board member at the Kansas City Zoo. Dan’s top priorities include crime prevention, supporting development and diverse housing options in south Kansas City, and continuing the charge to improve basic city services and existing infrastructure. For more information on Dan’s campaign, please visit his website www.votetarwater.com.