Housing committee reports state affordable housing tax‑credit cuts and readies local code changes

The Planning Commission’s standing housing committee reported on state and local developments affecting affordable housing and land‑use rules and described the committee’s near‑term priorities.

Committee members said the state has moved to substantially curtail the state affordable housing tax‑credit program, a change the committee said will reduce a key tool for affordable housing development in Kansas. The committee discussed how that loss complicates local efforts to expand affordable housing supply and said staff is preparing draft zoning text amendments for single‑family, duplex and quadplex districts and for multifamily parking requirements; staff expects draft amendments could be ready for committee review as early as next month.

The committee also discussed possible revisions to the C‑4 commercial district to better accommodate residential uses, options to enable manufactured housing and tiny homes, and the committee’s interest in modern construction approaches. In that context a committee member noted a local firm’s open house on 3‑D‑printed homes and cited reports the firm has identified vacant lots in multiple parts of the city for demonstration projects.

The committee’s goal, members said, is to prepare comprehensive options for commissioners to consider rather than piecemeal edits. No formal action was taken; staff will present draft text amendments to the housing committee and return to the planning commission as appropriate.