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Topeka committee recommends $931,947 to three affordable‑housing projects, council to consider award
Summary
The city's Affordable Housing Trust Fund review committee recommended awarding $931,947.50 to three local projects—homeownership infill, a rehabbed cooperative and preservation of Highland Park townhomes—potentially creating or preserving about 229 units; council discussion focused on sustaining the fund with dedicated revenue.
The Topeka City Council on June 16 was presented with a committee recommendation to award $931,947.50 from the Affordable Housing Trust Fund to three projects intended to create, preserve or rehabilitate roughly 229 affordable units.
City housing director Carrie Higgins told the council the trust fund balance is $1,242,149.35 and that the review committee scored six proposals before finding three non‑responsive. The committee recommended funding Scent, Inc.'s Five Infill Homes Initiative ($181,750) to subsidize home purchases; WY Property Development's Oldtown Cooperative ($365,197.50), which the applicant said would be repaid in full to the trust fund within 12 months of securing permanent financing; and Highland Park Town Homes ($385,000) for hard construction costs to preserve existing units.
The recommendations are rooted in ordinance 20554, which defines the trust fund's purpose as expanding affordable housing in Topeka. Higgins said the three projects would combine permanent and short‑term subsidy structures and, in WY Property Development's case, convert a property into a cooperative ownership model that aims to keep units affordable over the long term.
"These awards would put nearly $932,000 to work to preserve and create housing right away," Higgins said, describing committee scoring, bonus criteria and the committee's process from the February RFP through April deliberations.
Advocates and council members pressed for a sustainable revenue source. Jane Williams, speaking for Jump, urged the council to put a one‑tenth‑of‑one‑cent sales tax before voters to provide ongoing funding for the trust fund and homelessness services.
Council members praised the mix of projects presented and asked clarifying questions about repayment mechanics and ownership for the cooperative model. Mr. Wyel, the Oldtown Cooperative developer, described the co‑op as a shared‑equity structure in which residents buy shares rather than fee‑simple units, which he said helps keep the project affordable over time.
Next steps: staff said the governing body will vote on the committee recommendations at the July 7 meeting, and councilmembers signaled interest in pursuing a long‑term funding approach if the initial awards are approved.
Outcome and follow‑up: No formal awards were made during the June 16 discussion; the council will consider a resolution to approve the three developer agreements at a future meeting.
