Perhaps this dates me, but one of my favorite parts of Sunday morning is reading the newspaper comics (in color!), albeit now on an iPad. Reflecting on Kansas Housing’s theme this year, The Journey Home, I immediately think of Jeffy in Family Circus. Remember how, when called for dinner, Jeffy would take the most random, indirect, meandering path home? Anyone with kids can relate that it’s not always the most direct path, but the adventure of the journey that makes all the difference.
The Journey Home for KHRC and those we serve has been and continues to be an adventure. Sometimes despite the most delicately made plans, roadblocks and hurdles cause us to change our route. At the macro level, these may be natural disasters, pandemics, shifting political winds, diminished funding, or economic factors. At the local level, they can be massive new employers requiring homes for workers, or tariffs and supply issues that increase development costs. Concepts that seem straightforward on paper become winding, convoluted, and overwhelming in reality.
But the Journey Home is worth it!
Throughout these pages, you’ll learn about the amazing adventures happening all over the state as Kansans make their Journey Home. Whether the journey includes financing the development of new duplexes in Colby, providing down payment assistance for a couple’s first home in Perry, making energy efficiency improvements in Wichita, or keeping tenants safe in Salina, the adventures and successes are making smiles, creating memories, and unlocking homes.
So gear up for the adventure! It’s not always linear; sometimes there are unknown twists and turns. But our work, our mission, our Journey Home awaits.
-Ryan Vincent
Executive Director, Kansas Housing Resources Corporation
###
Kansas Housing Resources Corporation (KHRC) helps Kansans access the quality, 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.