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Commission and Wichita City Council authorize MABCD fee waivers for approved 9% low‑income housing tax credit projects
Summary
Sedgwick County and the City of Wichita agreed to waive Metropolitan Area Building and Construction Department (MABCD) permit fees for selected 9% low‑income housing tax credit projects; county vote was 4-1.
The Sedgwick County Commission authorized a resolution to waive Metropolitan Area Building and Construction Department (MABCD) permit and inspection fees for projects awarded 9% low‑income housing tax credits administered by the Kansas Housing Resource Corporation (KHRC). The City of Wichita approved a parallel resolution the same day.
MABCD director Chris Laber said the waiver would apply only to projects selected for 9% LIHTC awards and only for projects located within the City of Wichita. He said the county’s MABCD revenue fund is currently healthy and that the department and local builders’ associations supported a limited waiver for the current application round.
"Our recommendation is that the BOCC adopt the resolution and authorize MABCD fee waivers for approved projects," Laber said.
Laber noted the program’s subsidy structure: 9% credits are more competitive and yield a larger subsidy than 4% credits; the state has matched federal awards in recent years, increasing competitiveness. He outlined the expected fiscal scale: an average new project (about 36 units) has construction costs of roughly $9.5 million and a full permit-fee waiver in that range would be roughly $41,000–$47,500. Laber said the county’s absolute maximum exposure if multiple projects were awarded was unlikely but estimated a theoretical ceiling near $190,000; he and city staff said one or two waivers would be more likely.
City of Wichita housing director Sally Stang attended and confirmed KHRC’s role and eligibility standards for LIHTC projects, including long-term rent restrictions and energy‑efficiency requirements.
The commission voted 4-1 to adopt the resolution (Commissioner Howell cast the sole No vote). Commissioners who supported the waiver said it could tip marginal applications into awardable status and yield new affordable units in the county; Commissioner Howell said he was concerned about spreading fee costs to other permittees and urged a broader discussion about regulatory costs and housing affordability.
