State officials are seeking feedback from Kansans to help guide future housing development efforts. The initiative, part of the state’s first comprehensive housing needs assessment in nearly 30 years, aims to review current housing opportunities, identify strategic goals, and develop recommendations to guide future housing development.
“We’ve long known that the state’s shortage of comprehensive housing data limits our ability to provide affordable homes for Kansans,” said Ryan Vincent, Executive Director of Kansas Housing Resources Corporation. “The feedback gathered through this study will be a crucial first step in identifying current needs and resources so we can ensure that every Kansas community has the housing needed to grow and thrive.”
The study’s current discovery phase includes a series of public listening sessions and a statewide survey to gauge community and stakeholder input. Consultants will use feedback gathered throughout the discovery process to assess opportunities and set strategic housing goals. The project’s final phase involves developing a statewide housing plan and recommendations, with delivery anticipated by December 2021.
Community members are encouraged to share their input three ways:
1. Complete the Kansas Statewide Housing Needs Assessment online survey, available in both English and Spanish.
2. Participate in their region’s public listening session. Sessions will be held in person and virtually.
• April 21: South Central – Newton
• April 27: Johnson and Wyandotte Counties
• April 28: Southeast – Iola
• April 29: North Central – Salina
• May 4: Southwest – Dodge City
• May 13: Sedgwick County
• May 18: Northeast – Manhattan
• May 19: Shawnee / Douglas Counties
3. Visit the Kansas Statewide Housing Needs Assessment webpage to learn more and spread the word. Survey links and meeting details are available online: https://kshousingcorp.org/kansas-statewide-housing- needs-assessment-2021/
Governor Laura Kelly, noting the state’s shortage of quality, affordable housing and need for comprehensive data, announced the study’s launch in December. The state’s Office of Rural Prosperity and Kansas Housing Resources Corporation (KHRC), the state’s housing finance agency, manage the project. RDG Planning & Design, a consulting group with extensive housing experience in Kansas, was chosen to lead the study through a competitive RFP process.
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Governor Laura Kelly and former Lieutenant Governor Lynn Rogers created the Office of Rural Prosperity (ORP), a nonpartisan initiative established in part to ensure that rural Kansas is heard and represented in the statehouse. The ORP aims to streamline rural policy while focusing on the issues that matter to rural Kansans. During the ORP’s 2019 and 2020 statewide listening and action tours, housing was brought up by leaders in every region of the state as a vital component of recruiting and retaining workers, families, and entrepreneurs to help rural Kansas thrive.
Kansas Housing Resources Corporation (KHRC) is a self-supporting, nonprofit, public corporation committed to helping Kansans access the safe, affordable housing they need and the dignity they deserve. KHRC serves as the state’s housing finance agency (HFA), administering essential housing and community programs to serve Kansans.
