The City of Wichita is about to begin a program to make more affordable housing available in the community. The city has allocated $5 million in an Affordable Housing Fund and it will go out for bids in May for buyers to purchase units and make needed renovations.
The goal of the fund is to improve the quality of existing housing stock and expand options for quality affordable housing to promote neighborhood stability in targeted areas of the city. One area will be near 25th and Minnesota, and another area is near Pawnee and Meridian.
Qualified applicants will be able to submit offers in May to purchase available units within the pilot areas and propose a scope of work for necessary renovations. They can request up to $40,000 per housing unit for purchase or renovation, and they can also request project-based voucher assistance.
Applications will be due in late June and the awards will be announced later after examination by the city’s Affordable Housing Review Board, and they will be presented to the City Council for approval.
Those submitting proposals for the Affordable Housing Fund program will have to demonstrate that they have the ability and capacity to conduct the necessary work based on successful completion of similar projects, as well as past experience utilizing local, state or federal government-sponsored funding.
More information is available on the city’s web site at wichita.gov/282/Affordable-Housing-Fund
