Development offers 12 homes for Kansans with moderate incomes.
It was a Zillow posting that first led Maryland developer Sheilla Joseph of YMH Holdings to the rural community of Natoma, Kansas, population: 290. Joseph’s interest was sparked by a listing for a vacant multifamily property near the community school. When she visited and met with residents and neighbors, she learned of the local housing shortage.
“Families were pulling their kids from the school and enrollment was shrinking,” Joseph said. “People were buying up vacant homes to use for storage.” The town’s population has steadily declined from its peak in the upper 700s in the 1950s-1960s.
Community members knew their town needed more homes to attract young families and teachers to staff the consolidated school, a source of community pride. It was this effort that prompted the school district’s superintendent to reach out to Sheilla Joseph. He relayed the community’s request: Rehabilitate the vacant complex into vibrant, high-quality, affordable homes for Natoma professionals and families.
Joseph was interested but concerned about the financial constraints and long timeline of such a project. Community members assured her that the state had resources to support just this type of initiative.
Local leaders and housing stakeholders collaborated to apply for Moderate Income Housing (MIH) and Kansas Housing Investor Tax Credit (KHITC) funds, which support homes for rural, moderate-income Kansans. The result? The Retreat at Paradise Valley, a complex of eight two-bedroom and four one-bedroom homes featuring private patios, a community building with laundry facilities, and a shared gathering space complete with outdoor kitchen and built-in grill, just down the street from the local school. The development would not have been possible without MIH and KHITC funding, Joseph said.
Contractors, development partners, and community members gathered in September to celebrate the property’s grand opening and tour the new homes. Units are now renting from $750 per month, serving households earning up to 150% of the area’s median income, or $41,760 – $104,400 for a household of two.
Community leaders are hopeful the development will attract more young families to Natoma and will make recruiting educators and school personnel easier.
“We want to grow. We want families here. We want our schools to grow,” said Mayor Rick Dunlap. “I’ve been here almost 40 years, and I want to see the town grow the way it was. This is just the beginning.”
Natoma leaders aren’t stopping now. The next challenge? Childcare. The district plans to open a day care center within the local school, serving Natoma and surrounding communities. The district is currently accepting applications for the program.
“These rural communities are vital,” said Shawna Dunlap, longtime Natoma resident and wife of Mayor Rick Dunlap. “There’s no place like them. This is quality of life right here.”
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The state’s housing development programs, including the MIH and KHITC programs, 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.