Wichita council approves 25-year lease, operating agreement for Multi Agency Center to address homelessness

The Wichita City Council on Tuesday approved a 25-year lease and operating agreement with Mac Board Inc. to operate a Multi Agency Center (MAC) intended to centralize shelter, navigation and housing services for people experiencing homelessness.

The council voted 7-0 to authorize the lease and operating agreement following several hours of questions about oversight, fundraising and neighborhood impacts. The city previously allocated $5,000,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funds for initial operations and renovation work.

The agreement gives Mac Board Inc., a newly formed 501(c)(3), responsibility to operate the facility on a dollar-per-year lease once renovations are substantially complete. Under the contract the city will maintain grounds and utilities during renovation; the operator will assume routine maintenance, grounds and utility costs upon ‘substantial completion.’ The term was set for 25 years with extensions available by written mutual consent.

Council members pressed staff and Mac Board representatives on several issues: timelines for “substantial completion” (staff said late 2025 or early 2026 is the target), security and nuisance mitigation during operations, how medical and emergency services would be handled on site, and the board’s fundraising plan. Mac Board said it will hire an executive director by June, seek grants and contributed services, and work with community providers such as Humankind and Union Rescue Mission to provide services and meals. Board leaders said they had secured an IRS determination letter recognizing Mac Board Inc. as a 501(c)(3) in late January.

The agreement requires the operator to meet reporting and program requirements set out in a separate funding agreement; the city said the two documents together define oversight, reporting and the conditions under which the lease could be revisited. Council members asked staff to return with clarifications about board membership language, reporting timelines and how the city’s representative would be ensured a continuing role on Mac Board.

The lease and operating agreement also define a transition from an emergency winter shelter model, which expires March 31, to year-round operations: the city and Mac Board said they expect a full-time shelter operator to be in place April 1, subject to final contract steps. Public safety, de‑escalation training for staff, and coordination with the Wichita Police Department and EMS remain priorities, the operator said.

Why it matters: The MAC is the most visible multi‑agency effort in Wichita to consolidate shelter beds, non‑congregate shelter, navigation and eventual housing. The city’s initial operational commitment and the long lease term were intended to give the new operator runway to fundraise and attract partners, but council members stressed the need for clearer contractual provisions on board representation and reporting.

What’s next: Staff said renovations are underway and an RFP for construction evaluation is active; Mac Board will advertise for an executive director and expand community outreach. The council authorized signatures on the lease and operating agreement and passed the item 7-0.