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October 18, 2022

Kansas Moderate Income Housing (MIH) program applications up 74 percent

Governor Laura Kelly has announced that months after she signed legislation to fund the expansion of rural housing development, a record number of rural cities and counties are planning to build more homes.

“I’ve said it time and again: We need to build more housing so that every Kansas family can afford to put a roof over their head – and so we can attract and retain the workers needed to continue our record-breaking economic success,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “Thanks to the Kansas Housing Resources Corporation and the bipartisan legislation I signed earlier this year, we are poised to address that need and continue creating a better future for rural communities across the state.”

Demand for Kansas’ Moderate Income Housing (MIH) program has grown steadily in recent years, reflecting the findings of the state’s 2021 comprehensive housing needs assessment. The study identified homes for moderate-income Kansans as a major need, particularly in rural areas.

The measures Governor Kelly signed this year provide more than $90 million in new funding to accelerate housing development in the state, including one-time workforce housing projects, $40 million in new funding for the state’s popular MIH program and a $20 million investment in a new rural housing revolving loan program.

The MIH program received 48 applications for a total of $25,841,818 in requests during the current application cycle, representing a proposed 649 new homes for moderate-income Kansans. The volume represents a 74 percent increase over last year’s 28 applications and a nearly 300 percent increase over last year’s requested $8.7 million.

“Whether it’s Hilmar Dairy in Dodge City, Great Plains Manufacturing in Salina or Russell Stover in Iola, major employers in our rural communities need homes for their workers to thrive and their businesses to expand,” said Ryan Vincent, Executive Director at Kansas Housing Resources Corporation. “This historic expansion of KHRC’s popular Moderate Income Housing Program has driven an exponential increase in applications that reflects the monumental need for workforce housing in our state. KHRC looks forward to investing these resources to yield enormous returns for our rural homes and jobs.”

Several new housing programs were also launched because of the legislation:

The Kansas Housing Investor Tax Credit (KHITC), with an annual budget of $13 million, supports investors who make cash investments in qualified housing developments in counties with less than 75,000 residents.
The Rural Housing Revolving Loan Program received $20 million to provide loans or grants to rural communities for moderate- and low-income housing development or related infrastructure.
The Kansas Affordable Housing Tax Credit Act is a new state tax credit offered in addition to the federal Low Income Housing Tax Credit to incentivize affordable housing development.
The Kansas Rural Home Loan Guarantee provides loan guarantees to help address the difference between the cost of construction and the appraised value of single-family homes in counties with populations of less than 10,000.

Of the current 48 pending MIH applications, 33 intend to apply for the new KHITC program later this month, and 25 have never received MIH funding in the past. A complete list of this round’s applicants is available online.

The MIH and KHITC programs will accept applications during multiple cycles this year. The next application opens in November and will be due in January 2023.

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The state’s housing development programs, including the MIH program, are 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.

October 12, 2022

Over the past 18 months the Kansas Emergency Rental Assistance (KERA) program has provided more than 70,000 Kansans and 10,000 housing and service providers more than $250 million in rental and utility assistance, preventing thousands of evictions and providing vital services to more than 30,000 families at risk of losing their homes. A year and a half after the temporary pandemic relief initiative launched, the program has received enough applications to exhaust all current funds and has now entered the Hold Phase.

Any applications or recertifications submitted during Hold Phase will be placed on hold status and will not be reviewed or processed unless sufficient program funds are available.

The closure process follows three phases:

Final Funding Phase: On Oct. 7, 2022, households were encouraged to apply or reapply for final 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 availability of funds.
Hold Phase: Now that the program has received enough applications to fully expend all KERA funds, applications and recertifications submitted during Hold Phase will be placed on hold status 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 KERA 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 KERA web page.

We realize that the closing of the KERA program may bring stress and uncertainty, as well as more questions for applicants. For a list of additional housing resources and answers to further questions, please refer to our KERA closure FAQs.

Questions? Call 785-251-8043 or email KERA@kshousingcorp.org.

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The KERA 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.

October 7, 2022

Remaining funds to be expended soon, tenants and landlords encouraged to apply now

More than 75,000 Kansans and 10,000 housing and service providers have received more than $250 million in rental and utility assistance, preventing thousands of evictions and providing vital services to more than 30,000 families at risk of losing their homes. A year and a half after the temporary initiative launched, the program has nearly exhausted all funds and will wind down in the coming months.

The Kansas Emergency Rental Assistance (KERA) program, established in March 2021 with federal pandemic relief funds, provides up to 18 months of rent and utility assistance for households experiencing financial hardship. Rental assistance is 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.

Officials anticipate that remaining program funds will be fully expended in the coming weeks and have begun taking steps to close the program.

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

Final Funding Phase: Applicants seeking KERA support should apply or reapply as soon as possible to be considered for final funding.
Hold Phase: Once the program receives enough applications to fully expend all KERA funds, approval of new applications and recertifications will be subject to availability of remaining funds. Applications and recertifications submitted during Hold Phase will be placed on hold and will not be reviewed or processed unless sufficient program funds are available. Pending applications submitted before Hold Phase will continue to be processed until the final application is paid.
Closure Phase: When all program funds are exhausted the program will close and will stop accepting new applications.

The KERA program is now in Final Funding 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 KERA web page.

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 to more than 10,000 Kansas households, ultimately serving 21,642 Kansas residents and more than 4,000 housing providers.

The Kansas Homeowner Assistance Fund remains open and is currently accepting applications. KHRC’s ongoing housing programs will continue to serve Kansans beyond the closure of the KERA program.

For more information and to apply for KERA, visit kshousingcorp.org/emergency-rental-assistance.

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September 22, 2022

The Kansas Homeowner Assistance Fund (KHAF) has granted 1,926 homeowner applications a total of $20,325,452 in mortgage, property tax and utility aid to date. Yet thousands of Kansans are still in danger of losing their homes.

In its most recent report, the Mortgage Bankers Association said that in Kansas, 10,098 mortgages were past due, with 5,353 seriously delinquent. Only 1,926 applications have been granted, which means there is a significant gap in the number of people who need help and the number who have received assistance. This is a prime opportunity for lenders to help struggling homeowners maintain stable housing, while also preserving their asset quality.

“So many people are still feeling the financial repercussions of the pandemic,” says Marilyn Stanley, KHAF Program Manager at Kansas Housing Resources Corporation, the organization responsible for administering KHAF funds. “These are homeowners who never thought they’d need this type of help, and many of them don’t know about KHAF yet.”

The purpose of the KHAF program, funded by the American Rescue Plan Act, is to prevent foreclosures on homeowners suffering pandemic-related financial hardship. Kansas Housing is urging lenders to do three things:

register for the program as a participating lender,
proactively educate their customers about KHAF and
send them to the online application on the KHAF webpage and help them apply, if needed.

Since all payments go directly to the delinquent account, not the homeowner, it’s vital for banks, credit unions and other loan servicers to get registered. To date, more than 193 servicers are registered with KHAF.

Most important, Stanley encourages banks, credit unions and other mortgage lenders to talk to customers who may benefit from this program. With fears of fraud and financial scams, KHAF may sound too good to be true. The homeowner will be more receptive to the lender, a trusted source of financial information.

Homeowners must be low- to moderate-income, and can see if they qualify by answering a few questions in the homeowner application portal on the Kansas Housing website.

“Financial instability and the fear of losing your home is traumatic. Talk to customers that you think may benefit,” says Stanley, “this is a win-win for homeowners and lenders.”

About KHAF
The KHAF program is funded by the American Rescue Plan Act and administered by the Kansas Housing Resources Corporation. More information for lenders is available on our website.

KHAF Call Center
To assist both homeowners and lenders.
8 am – 5 pm CST, Mon–Fri
855-307-KHAF (5423)

This project is being supported, in whole or in part, by federal award number HAFP-0140 awarded to Kansas Housing Resources Corporation by the US Department of the Treasury.

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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.

July 29, 2022

Twelve Kansas communities will add a collective 441 affordable homes to their housing stock, thanks to funds awarded through the state’s competitive housing development application process. The awards, totaling $7.7 million in tax credits and $6.5 million in HOME and NHTF loans, will create over $70M in equity to construct 264 new homes and rehabilitate 177 existing homes for Kansas seniors and families.

The funding, made available through the state’s Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program, the federal HOME Investment Partnership Program (HOME), and the National Housing Trust Fund (NHTF), provides incentives to developers, nonprofit organizations, and communities that commit to developing quality, affordable housing. Within the three programs, 11 awards will be funded with LIHTC, six with NHTF, and three with HOME monies, including one HOME-only project.

As detailed in the 2022 Qualified Allocation Plan (QAP), Kansas Housing prioritizes developments that expand housing opportunities in rural areas, provide homes for special needs populations, and address a documented housing shortage, among other factors. Over half of the affordable homes will be in rural communities and 18 of the new homes will target individuals with disabilities.

Kansas Housing administers the state’s housing development programs and oversees the competitive application process. Complete award details are available online.

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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.

May 23, 2022

For people who have fallen behind on their mortgage or utilities due to COVID-19 illness, job loss or other pandemic-related hardship, “the Kansas Homeowner Assistance Fund (KHAF) is a great benefit,” says loan officer Julie Cannady of Community National Bank & Trust (CNB) in Augusta, Kansas.

CNB registered early

CNB is one of the early loan servicer participants approved to receive KHAF payments, which are designed to prevent foreclosures in Kansas. The bank has already received one payment, bringing an elderly customer with health concerns current on her mortgage. “It’s a blessing for her,” says Cannady. There are four more CNB customer applications in the KHAF pipeline.

Since all payments go directly to the delinquent account, not the homeowner, it’s vital for banks, credit unions and other loan servicers to get registered. “It benefits the homeowner and us,” Cannady says. “It helps the homeowner and us avoid having a delinquent loan on our books.”

“We signed up to be an approved servicer when a customer requested it,” says Cannady. A homeowner in need must apply, but applications can only be considered if the lender also participates by registering with the program.

Register only once
Marilyn Stanley, KHAF Program Manager at Kansas Housing Resources Corporation, says that any bank, credit union or other loan servicers with mortgages for homes in Kansas can get set up. “It’s easy to get registered, with just a few forms to submit, and then an online portal for payment information,” says Stanley. This makes the homeowner application process much smoother and facilitates payments.

Track progress in real time
Once a servicer is approved, “the rest is easy,” says Cannady. The bank receives an email when a customer has submitted an application. The bank is then required to verify information about an applicant’s home loan, any delinquencies and the amount needed to bring the account current. Cannady can log in to the lender portal at any time to check on the status of an applicant. It shows the application pipeline and indicates if any information or action is needed from the bank. Cannady reports that none of CNB’s customers who have applied have been denied so far. Stanley encourages other banks, credit unions and mortgage lenders to get registered and talk to customers who may benefit from this program. Homeowners must be low- to moderate-income, and can see if they qualify by answering a few questions in the homeowner application portal. “Financial instability and the fear of losing your home is traumatic. Talk to customers that you think may benefit,” says Stanley, “this is a win-win for homeowners and lenders.”

About KHAF
The KHAF program is funded by the American Rescue Plan and administered by the Kansas Housing Resources Corporation. More information for lenders is online at https://kshousingcorp.org/kansas-homeowner-assistance-fund-lenders.

KHAF Call Center
To assist both homeowners and lenders.
8 am – 5 pm CST, Mon–Fri
855-307-KHAF (5423)

This project is being supported, in whole or in part, by federal award number HAFP-0140
awarded to Kansas Housing Resources Corporation by the US Department of the Treasury