Hays City Commission set to vote on low-income housing initiatives, updated economic incentives

The Hays City Commission is set to vote on two major residential developments during its 4 p.m. meeting today, with addressing local housing shortages the central focus.

The commission will consider granting Epworth Village Inc. an exclusive land option through Dec. 31, 2027, to raise funds for a high-density, low-income housing project on 2.1 acres of city-owned property along 26th Street.

Additionally, Mayor Mason Ruder and the commission are scheduled to vote on a resolution supporting local developer PWC Mgmt LLC's application for a $600,000 Moderate Income Housing grant.

The funds, sought through the Kansas Housing Resources Corporation, would provide down-payment assistance for 20 of 30 planned single-family homes on a 7.2-acre tract north of Felten Elementary School.

Commissioners are also slated to approve formal revisions to the city’s Economic Development Policy, which dictates how local tax incentives are awarded to businesses.

The updated guidelines mandate a pay-as-you-go reimbursement structure for private, for-profit developers, explicitly cap total city economic assistance at 70% of a project’s eligible costs, and maintain a $250,000 minimum project cost threshold to qualify for a Community Improvement District.

In other business, the commission will fill three seats on the newly formed Property Maintenance Appeals Board and receive a mayoral nomination for the Hays Convention and Visitors Bureau Advisory Committee.

The commission will also officially approve minutes from a September meeting that featured a water policy presentation by state Rep. Barbara Wasinger, a Republican.

This article was written using our proprietary AI system, Cronkite. The final decision to publish this article was made by a human. For more info, read our AI policy.

Found a mistake? Have a news tip or feedback to share? Contact our newsroom using the button below:

Contact Us