Governor Laura Kelly Champions Affordable Housing at Kansas Housing Conference
~~Highlights More Than $190M in Tax Incentives and Investments to
Expand Housing Stock~~
WICHITA – Governor Laura Kelly today addressed attendees of the Kansas Housing Corporation’s 17th annual Kansas Housing Conference held in Wichita. The annual conference attracts housing professionals from across the state and region to explore trends, innovations, and solutions to affordable housing.
The Governor discussed the work the Kelly Administration has done to make progress on affordable housing and the continued need to expand and improve the state’s housing stock.
“Housing is a fundamental human need, yet in far too many communities housing options are limited. Rising prices and aging structures mean that too often Kansans struggle just to keep a roof over their heads,” said Governor Kelly. “That’s why my administration has worked to expand our housing supply, help families afford to rent and buy homes, and rehabilitate older structures across the state – especially those in rural communities.”
Early in her administration, Governor Kelly created the Office of Rural Prosperity, which in 2021 worked with the Kansas Housing Resources Corporation to release the findings of the first state housing needs assessment in 27 years.
Governor Kelly immediately acted to address Kansas’ current housing needs and growth opportunities, as outlined in the report.
In this year’s budget, Governor Kelly proposed adding $20 million to the state’s annual $2 million allotment for the program. She has also worked with a bipartisan group of legislators to allocate an additional $50 million for housing throughout the state.
With those investments and special one-time funding for projects, Kansas will see a two-year investment of more than $90 million targeted toward the state’s rural areas and small cities.
“While more funding is a major piece of the puzzle, it doesn’t altogether solve the housing challenges we face,” she said. “We also need to empower local leaders and developers to come up with innovative solutions to their community’s unique housing needs.”
Governor Kelly signed bipartisan legislation this year providing a range of housing and historic preservation tax credits to local communities, which will provide more than $100 million in tax incentives over the first three years of these programs. These credits will help diversity and rehabilitate historic properties and encourage local investment in housing.
Photos from the conference for media use can be found below.
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