City council looks at incentive for affordable housing

WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — The City of Wichita is trying to help developers get funding to build or renovate low-income housing.

On Tuesday, council members will vote on waiving some building, water, and sewer connection fees for those projects, which can help developers fulfill requirements to get federal and state money through the low-income housing tax credit.

“A waiver of building permit fees to try and bolster some of these applications to increase their points to try and drive more of the affordable housing projects to Wichita and to Sedgwick County,” Wichita Assistant City Manager Troy Anderson said.

“It’s not just about affordable housing, right? It’s housing of all types right, of varying price points. Obviously, housing and housing affordability is a huge focus of not only the city but cities across the nation right now,” Anderson said.

A development group wants to turn the office building at 212 N. Market into apartments.
The plan would add 74 apartments but requires $21 million in industrial revenue bonds to help with financing.

The City says with the addition of the new biomedical campus downtown, the area needs more than 700 units to keep up with housing demand.

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