JEDO board sets aside $575,000 for site‑prep redevelopment fund; requires board‑approved parameters before any disbursement

The JEDO board on Feb. 26 voted to set aside $575,000 as a one‑time site‑preparation redevelopment fund and directed that no funds be dispersed until the board approves program parameters.

Board members said the proposed fund is intended to help small and mid‑size developers and nonprofits cover early site costs — for example, blight or environmental studies or demolition — that can block projects from moving from concept to shovel‑ready status.

The measure matters because proponents said the costs targeted by the fund are common, immediate barriers to revitalization in low‑ and moderate‑income neighborhoods across Shawnee County and Topeka. Go Topeka staff told the board the dollars are intended as a single, catalytic pool of money, not an ongoing entitlement.

Council Member Duncan, who introduced the concept and moved to create the fund, described it as a narrowly scoped, one‑time allocation to address “site‑prep” needs that often prevent projects from securing financing. He told the board these uses could run from environmental or blight studies to demolition of small structures that block redevelopment. Go Topeka staff said there are no projects currently identified; applications would be screened through existing prequalifiers the city already uses and then administered through Go Topeka’s process.

Councilwoman Hiller asked the board to clarify the scope so that the fund’s definition of “site prep” would explicitly include demolition of structures where appropriate. “The conversation has included not just site preparation or studies, but also structures,” Hiller said, noting that infill housing and commercial redevelopment sometimes require demolition to move forward.

Commissioner Cook posed a hypothetical about whether improvements such as street lighting requested by a city would qualify; Go Topeka staff responded that the program’s goal is to support projects in distressed census tracts and that typical city requests outside those areas would likely be disqualified through the prequalification process.

Several board members stressed the need for countywide eligibility (not Topeka‑only), clear criteria and a plan for administration and oversight. Go Topeka and JEDO staff said the program is intended as a joint Shawnee County and City of Topeka initiative and that detailed parameters would be drafted and returned to the board for final approval.

After discussion the board approved a substitute motion to set the $575,000 aside for a site‑prep development fund but to withhold any dispersal of funds until the board adopts the program’s parameters and stipulations. The substitute motion passed by voice vote.

Board action and next steps: Go Topeka will draft the application, eligibility criteria and an administrative checklist for the fund, including low‑ and moderate‑income area targeting and prequalifier requirements, and return to the JEDO board for formal approval before any money is released.

Ending: The board did not identify specific projects at the meeting. Members said the funding is limited and intended to be catalytic; if the pilot succeeds, the board indicated it could consider future allocations at its discretion.