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HUD abates Timberly housing; staff say emergency vouchers and relocation help are in place as bill to ease inspections advances
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Summary
City staff said HUD will abate the Timberly property effective March 1; emergency housing vouchers and an on‑site HUD relocation specialist are expected in early March. Committee also heard that a Kansas bill addressing HUD‑supported properties in Topeka advanced to the Senate with a five‑year sunset provision.
City housing staff told the Topeka Public Health and Safety Committee on Feb. 26 that HUD plans to abate the Timberly subsidized housing property effective March 1 and that emergency housing vouchers have been issued to residents.
Carrie Higgins, with the city’s housing division, said HUD and the Topeka Housing Authority have issued emergency housing vouchers to current Timberly tenants and that a HUD relocation specialist will be on site in the first weeks of March to help residents find new housing and assist with moving costs. “We are encouraging everyone to stay on‑site because they have to still be a current tenant as of March 1 to qualify for those emergency housing vouchers,” Higgins said.
Higgins said Timberly is project‑based subsidized housing and the emergency vouchers will allow tenants to use the subsidy off‑site if they find a landlord who accepts the voucher.
Legislative update Committee members also received a legislative summary from the city’s lobbyist and attorney. Committee members were told House Bill 2099 advanced out of the Kansas House on Feb. 20 and moved to the Senate; staff said the bill, as amended, applies only to HUD‑supported properties located in the city of Topeka and includes a five‑year sunset. Hiller said the legislation stops short of resolving tenant permission to access but is intended to add owner responsibility and make inspections and city intervention more practicable.
Why it matters: HUD abatement and the relocation process can disrupt households; emergency vouchers and a HUD relocation specialist are temporary measures to mitigate displacement. The proposed state legislation would create local inspection and accountability mechanisms for HUD‑supported properties within Topeka if enacted.
Next steps and service coordination Higgins said the city and Topeka Housing Authority are holding biweekly conference calls and adding meetings as needed; city staff and housing division will assist the housing authority during relocation. Committee members asked whether units could be preserved; staff said no owner action had prevented HUD’s decision and that abatement remains effective March 1.
Staff thanked Councilwoman Valdivia Acala for her work on Timberly and noted the committee would continue to receive updates as relocation proceeds.
