Wyandotte County

A Kansas City, Kansas, woman filed whistleblower and civil rights claims against the housing authority, saying employees misused federal funds in exchange for tenants' food stamps. The scheme preyed upon "the most vulnerable" residents, the lawsuit says.

With six months to go before the first matches, there are still reasonably priced rooms in the metro. More homeowners can also rent out their houses after local governments eased rules for short-term rentals.