Planning commission approves Ninth Street Missionary Baptist ‘HOPE’ affordable housing project and related map changes

The Lawrence/Douglas County Joint Metropolitan Planning Commission on March 26 recommended approval of a set of planning applications that will allow Ninth Street Missionary Baptist Church and partner Family Promise to redevelop 909 and 913 Tennessee Street to provide 10 permanently affordable housing units.

Staff planner Avery Kerner told commissioners the package before the commission included a comprehensive plan amendment, a rezoning to RM‑32 with a planned development overlay (which will convert to R‑4 when the new code takes effect April 1), a preliminary development plan and a variance request from subdivision design standards for an alley right‑of‑way. Kerner said the proposal would retain the existing four‑unit building at 913 Tennessee Street and construct a new six‑unit building at 909 Tennessee Street for a total of 10 units to be used by Family Promise as supportive housing (Kerner: s=814.23004–s=914.355).

Why it matters: the package would create permanently affordable family housing near the West Ninth Street corridor and KU stadium and was supported by staff as advancing Plan 2040 goals for infill and affordable housing while conflicting with the Oread neighborhood plan’s current future land‑use map (which recommends neighborhood commercial center for the parcels). Kerner said staff recommended approval of the comprehensive plan amendment and forwarding all applications to the City Commission and Douglas County Commissioners (Kerner:…