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Local nonprofits to pilot abandoned‑housing rehab under Kansas law
Summary
DePaul Leavenworth Attainable Housing and legal partner Nimbrook plan a pilot under the Kansas Abandoned Housing Act to pursue three blighted properties (426 Ottawa, 733 Pawnee, 922 Osage); staff said the city’s formal role is limited to notice and the nonprofit expects roughly a year from filing to completion.
Nonprofit and legal partners told the Leavenworth City Commission they plan to use the Kansas Abandoned Housing Act to convert blighted, tax‑delinquent properties into affordable single‑family homes, starting with a three‑house pilot in North Leavenworth.
Kim Portillo, the city’s director of planning and community development, introduced Greg Lombardine of Nimbrook Legal Support and Sister Amy Wilcott of DePaul Leavenworth Attainable Housing. Lombardine explained the statutory thresholds they will use — properties two years tax delinquent, unoccupied by anyone with a legal right of possession for 90 days and a plaintiff that is a Kansas nonprofit with the capacity to rehabilitate — and walked commissioners through the typical court process. He said the project partner list includes the Sisters of Charity and DePaul Leavenworth Attainable Housing and that staff selected three candidate properties: 426 Ottawa (the “Butterfly House”), 733 Pawnee and 922 Osage (the “cat house”).
Lombardine described the timeline: staff served required owner notices (20 days) and planned to file suit soon; if the owner defaults or consents to a court‑supervised rehab schedule, the process can resolve without property transfer. "Generally it takes about four to six months to get possession of the property in the case," he said, and the total process from filing to completion is often about a year. Lombardine said in Kansas City many owners respond by performing court‑supervised repairs; about 60–70% ultimately do the rehab themselves.
Amy Wilcott said DePaul Leavenworth Attainable Housing is committed to scaling rehab work and exploring pathways to homeownership for residents served; she requested philanthropic support and noted the nonprofit may pursue CDBG or similar funding to support construction.
City staff clarified municipal obligations: staff said the city’s formal role is limited to receiving notice of the lawsuit and that code‑enforcement challenges (title issues, dispersed heirs, opaque LLC ownership) make the abandoned‑housing statutory remedy useful because it clears title or creates court supervision for rehab. Commissioners welcomed the pilot and encouraged the organizations to pursue funding and communicate with neighbors.
What’s next: The legal partner said notices have been served and a filing will follow; DePaul will continue fundraising and outreach. No formal city action or vote was taken at the meeting.
Provenance: Presentation began with Kim Portillo’s introduction and the legal partner’s overview.
