News

Home
News

PUBLIC NOTICES

KHRC News

March 27, 2023

Kansas Housing Resources Corporation (KHRC) is in the process of selecting a new weatherization service provider for the eight-county area that has been served by Community Action, Inc. (CAI) since the late 1970s. KHRC currently administers the federally funded Weatherization Assistance Program through partnerships with four subrecipient agencies across the state. These agencies provide weatherization services including free comprehensive home energy audits, repairs, and upgrades to income-eligible Kansas households.

Beginning March 31, 2023, Community Action, Inc. will no longer provide weatherization services to the following counties: Atchison, Brown, Doniphan, Jackson, Jefferson, Nemaha, Leavenworth, and Shawnee. KHRC is in the process of identifying a new service provider for these counties.

During the transition period, residents of the affected counties seeking weatherization assistance should contact KHRC directly. Applications received from Kansans in CAI’s current service area will be kept on file in the interim and transferred to the new service provider to review and process. Previous applicants awaiting review in these counties will receive further guidance directly from CAI.

Weatherization services for qualified households provide energy-conservation upgrades that can lower home utility bills by improving heating and cooling efficiency. These may include:

Sealing drafts and air leaks, caulking doors and windows, weather stripping
Testing, cleaning, and repairing heating and cooling systems and water heaters
Adding insulation to ceilings, walls, floors, and foundations
Lighting, refrigerator, and fan upgrades

KHRC thanks CAI for their decadeslong partnership in Weatherization and looks forward to continued partnerships with other housing programs. For further inquiries about the Weatherization Assistance Program, please email Tyler Wilson at tylerw@kshousingcorp.org or call 785-217-2001.

###

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.

March 20, 2023

K-12 students invited to share vision of home in celebration of KHRC’s 20^th anniversary, National Homeownership Month

Kansas Housing Resources Corporation (KHRC) launched a statewide art contest today, inviting K-12 students to share their visions on the theme: WHAT DOES HOME MEAN TO ME? The contest aims to raise awareness of the importance of home and the connection between quality, affordable housing and healthy families and communities. The initiative commemorates KHRC’s 20^th anniversary and winners will be celebrated during National Homeownership Month, an annual campaign recognizing the benefits of homeownership.

“Home is more than shelter,” said Ryan Vincent, KHRC’s Executive Director. “It represents safety, community, a sense of belonging, and so much more. As we reflect on two decades of expanding housing opportunities across the state, we welcome our youngest Kansans to share a vision of home for future generations.”

The contest is open to any K-12 Kansas student. Entrants must submit an original, two-dimensional 8.5 by 11-inch piece of artwork (painting, drawing, or photograph), along with a completed entry form.

A KHRC committee will review submissions and select winner(s) to be displayed in the Kansas State Capitol and at the 2023 Kansas Housing Conference Welcome Reception. Submissions will be accepted until May 1. Winners will be announced on May 15 via email and on KHRC’s website.

Methods of entry include:

Mail: Kansas Housing Resources Corporation at: 611 S Kansas Ave., Suite 300, Topeka, KS 66603
Email: ArtContest@kshousingcorp.org
Online submission form

Please Note:

For online submissions, please complete the online entry form with parent/guardian signature and upload your art submission.
For email submissions, please also download, complete, and have a parent/guardian sign the digital entry form PDF by navigating to Tools > Fill and Sign > Sign Yourself to sign the document and email it along with your submission to: ArtContest@kshousingcorp.org.
For mail submissions, the entry form must be completed, signed by a parent/guardian, and printed out and mailed along with your submission.
Only one entry is allowed per student.

KHRC was established in 2003 and serves as the state’s housing finance agency, administering essential housing and community programs to serve Kansans. Among other initiatives, it manages the state’s First Time Homebuyer Program and Home Loan Guarantee for Rural Kansas, which expand homeownership opportunities for Kansans.

For more information, please visit kshousingcorp.org/20th-anniversary/.

###

March 13, 2023

Homeownership is within reach for more Kansas families, thanks to expanded eligibility guidelines for the state’s First Time Homebuyer program. Administered by Kansas Housing Resources Corporation (KHRC), the program helps income-eligible households purchase their first home by providing down payment and closing cost assistance.

“KHRC wants to keep the dream of homeownership alive for Kansas families despite recent increases in home values and interest rates,” said Ryan Vincent, KHRC’s Executive Director. “By expanding eligibility for first-time homebuyers, we’re making homes more affordable, enabling households to build equity, and helping families invest in future generations of Kansans.”

The First Time Homebuyer Program assists those purchasing their first home or those who have not owned a home for at least three years and earn no more than 80 percent of their area’s median income. Homebuyers must make a modest down payment investment and are eligible for an interest-free loan in the amount of 15 or 20 percent of the home’s purchase price. The loan is forgiven if the buyer remains in the home for 10 years.

Recent program updates have expanded eligibility:

Debt-to-income ratio of up to 45 percent. Previously, homebuyers could spend up to 41 percent of their monthly income on debt such as car loans, credit cards, and student loan payments.
PITI (mortgage payments including principal, interest, taxes, and insurance) ratio of 15 to 30%. Previously, applicants were required to devote 20 to 30 percent of their monthly income to PITI.
Homebuyer down payment contribution of one to 10 percent. Qualified participants were previously required to contribute two to 10 percent of the home’s sale price.
Adjusted interest rates. To accommodate a broader range of credit scores, lenders can now set interest rates up to .65 percent higher than Freddie Mac, a .15 percent increase from the previous limit.

Other updates will modernize and streamline the application process for lenders and homebuyers. These include allowances for electronic signatures in place of original signatures, and encrypted emails to replace faxed applications.

Funded by federal HOME funds, the state’s FTHB program assists with home purchases throughout the state except for within the city limits of Topeka, Lawrence, Wichita, or Kansas City, or Johnson County. These areas administer their own HOME funds.

KHRC also administers the Home Loan Guarantee (HLG) for Rural Kansas, which helps existing and prospective homeowners in rural counties by covering the gap between the loan and the appraisal for building or renovating a home.

###

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, administering essential housing and community programs to serve Kansans.

March 9, 2023

Seven nonprofit community organizations across the state received a combined $143,040.36 to help low-income Kansans achieve stability and access economic opportunities. The awards, provided through federal Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) discretionary funding, will support initiatives ranging from training staff to provide literacy and educational resources for English and non-English speakers in Northeast Kansas, providing wraparound services for unhoused survivors of domestic violence in Johnson County, and purchasing tablets to track progress for the Habitat Kansas Home Repair Project’s 16 organizations across the state.

“The CSBG program aims to reduce poverty, revitalize low-income communities, and empower low-income families and individuals to become fully self-sufficient,” said Marilyn Stanley, CSBG Program Manager at the Kansas Housing Resources Corporation (KHRC). “We’re so pleased to work with our community partners to provide these vital resources to Kansans in need.”

Funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the CSBG program supports local service partners that provide resources and assistance to low-income community members. KHRC serves as the state’s CSBG program administrator. CSBG grant awards fund a range of community services, including job training, financial management education, childcare services, housing and food assistance programs, and more.

Service partners apply for annual and discretionary funding through competitive application processes. Complete award details are available below and online.

###

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.

2022 CSBG Discretionary Round 2 Program Awards

Awardee	Contact Person	Award Amount	Project Summary
NEK-CAP Inc	Jeanette Collier jcollier@nekcap.org	$12,000.00	To support training to provide digital literacy and soft skills educational opportunities for both English speaking and non-English speaking participants.
ECKAN	Crystal Anderson canderson@eckan.org	$7,508.08	To support unmet community needs assistance for individuals experiencing emergent economic needs.
Community Action, Inc	Mallory Keeffe mkeeffe@wefightpoverty.org	$24,000.00	To support in-depth assessment of client software system, including testing and diagnostics, data quality, cleanup, and functionality.
Empower House Ministries Inc.	Melissa Landis melissa@empowerhouseministries.org	$22,500.00	To support program enhancements and increasing focus on life skill training.
Fellowship Hi-Crest, Inc.	Brail Watson bwatson@fellowshiphicrest.com	$21,400.00	To support training for audio engineering, video editing, and digital photography community project.
Lawrence Habitat for Humanity, Inc. (Habitat Kansas)	Shawna Williams director@kshabitathomes.org	$29,892.00	To support the Habitat Kansas Home Repair Project with 16 local Habitat organizations across the state to purchase subscriptions of the Rehab Tracker App and 12 tablets to utilize this application onsite.
Safe Home Inc	Desiree Long desiree.long@safehome-ks.org	$25,740.28	To support wrap-around services to unhoused victims of domestic violence and enhance access for victims traditionally underserved including provision of assistance devices, training, marketing, and service coordination.

February 21, 2023

New applications to be reviewed, processed subject to availability of funds

The Kansas Homeowner Assistance Fund (KHAF), a federally funded, temporary emergency program to support homeowners experiencing hardship during the COVID pandemic, has dispersed nearly all program funds and will close soon. KHAF was established with American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to help qualifying Kansas homeowners get current on their mortgage payments and avoid foreclosure. Since the program launched in April 2022, KHAF has provided $42,599,772 to 3,797 households.

The KHAF program is now in the Hold Phase, the second of three closure phases. On January 30, 2023, households were encouraged to apply for assistance as soon as possible. The program has now received enough applications to exhaust all current funds, ending Final Funding phase. Applications submitted during Final Funding Phase will still be reviewed and processed, subject to available funding.

The closure process will follow three phases. Here’s what this means for Kansas homeowners in need of assistance:

Final Funding Phase: On Jan. 30, 2023, homeowners seeking KHAF support were encouraged to apply to be considered for final funding.
Hold Phase: The program has received enough applications to fully expend all KHAF funds. Approval of new applications will be subject to availability of remaining funds. Applications submitted during Hold Phase will be placed on hold and will not be reviewed or processed unless sufficient program funds are available.
Closure Phase: When all program funds are exhausted the program will close and will stop accepting new applications.

The KHAF program is now in Hold Phase. The length and dates of each phase will be subject to a variety of factors, including application volume and amount of assistance requested. Each program closure phase will be announced on the KHAF webpage.

For more questions, applicants can reach KHAF customer service at 855-307-KHAF (5423), or review the KHAF closure FAQs. KHRC’s ongoing housing programs will continue to serve Kansans beyond the closure of the KHAF program.

###

The KHAF program is administered by Kansas Housing Resources Corporation (KHRC), 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, administering essential housing and community programs to serve Kansans.

February 1, 2023

More than $290 million in rental, utility assistance awarded

A year and a half after Kansas Emergency Rental Assistance (KERA) launched, the program has closed. More than $290 million provided relief for more than 82,000 Kansans and more than 11,000 housing and service providers, preventing evictions and providing vital services to more than 32,000 households.

“Home has never been more important,” said Ryan Vincent, Executive Director of Kansas Housing Resources Corporation (KHRC), which administered the KERA program. “In the midst of the pandemic, home became so much more than shelter—it became our virtual workplace, classroom, marketplace, gathering space, and more. Thanks to KERA, more than 30,000 Kansas families remained safely housed and connected to vital services at the time they needed it most.”

The Kansas Emergency Rental Assistance (KERA) program was established in March 2021 to lessen the financial burdens on renters and landlords impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Federal relief funds provided up to 18 months of temporary emergency rental, utility, and internet assistance for households at risk of homelessness or housing instability. Rental assistance was paid directly to housing and service providers, helping landlords cover their operating costs and keep up with essential maintenance and repairs, stimulating the local economy.

The robust disbursement of program funding has prevented evictions from taking a devastating toll on Kansas communities while keeping families stably housed in uncertain times. More than 2000 active evictions were halted and nearly 19,000 utility disconnections were stopped or reconnected thanks to KERA. More than 400 utility vendors, many of them rural community government entities, continued to collect monthly payments even when customers couldn’t cover their bills.

Prior to the KERA program, KHRC administered the Kansas Eviction Prevention Program (KEPP), a federal CARES-Act funded initiative to provide rental assistance to Kansans who had fallen behind on rent payments due to the pandemic. KEPP provided more than $17 million in rental assistance to more than 10,000 Kansas households, ultimately serving 21,642 Kansas residents and 4,000 landlords.

Kansas in need of assistance following the closure of the KERA program may qualify for additional housing resources, some of which are administered by KHRC. KHRC’s ongoing housing programs will continue to serve Kansans beyond the closure of the KERA program.

###