Lawrence Affordable Housing Advisory Board Summary
Week of August 14, 2026
AHAB approves $500,000 set-aside for future housing developments
Board challenges state tax credit formula over taxpayer costs
City building public database of undeveloped land under new state housing law
City considers Oak Hill Cemetery parcel for affordable housing project
Former Traffic Control Building eyed for residential redevelopment
City parks and Riverfront Parking Garage ruled out for housing development
AHAB approves $500,000 set-aside for future housing developments
LAWRENCE, Kan. — The Affordable Housing Advisory Board voted unanimously to reserve $500,000 of the city's trust fund specifically for new development and rehabilitation projects in 2027. The remaining $760,000 will be awarded through the current Notice of Funding Opportunity process in November. The set-aside is intended to attract developers under a new rolling application policy taking effect in 2027, which will allow Lawrence to accept new development and comprehensive rehabilitation applications on a rolling basis rather than in a single annual cycle. Board members debated several funding splits, including a 50-50 division, before agreeing that $500,000 was a sufficient incentive to attract a major developer while preserving enough funds for ongoing annual programs.
Board challenges state tax credit formula over taxpayer costs
LAWRENCE, Kan. — In a 5-1 vote, the Affordable Housing Advisory Board agreed to submit a letter to the Kansas Housing Resources Corporation, the state housing agency, urging a change to its Qualified Allocation Plan for Low-Income Housing Tax Credits. Currently, the state calculates local support points based on the total number of units in a development, forcing the city to waive fees for market-rate units using affordable housing sales tax dollars. The board's letter will request that points be based strictly on affordable units, with board member Barry McMurphy casting the lone dissenting vote.
City building public database of undeveloped land under new state housing law
LAWRENCE, Kan. — Lawrence residents will soon have access to a publicly searchable database of all undeveloped land owned by the city. City staff announced the database is currently in the works to comply with a recently passed state housing law, which requires Kansas municipalities to publish the information by Oct. 1. Staff noted that while the city owns numerous vacant lots, many were acquired following the Great Flood of 1993 using federal disaster recovery funds and carry strict deed restrictions preventing them from ever being developed.
City considers Oak Hill Cemetery parcel for affordable housing project
LAWRENCE, Kan. — A working group reviewing municipal land for affordable housing donations identified the western edge of the city-owned Oak Hill Cemetery parcel as a prime candidate for future development. Affordable Housing Advisory Board chair Monte Soukup noted that the land, which sits away from the natural burial site, is already platted into multiple lots and offers a viable path forward with minimal resistance. The board agreed to continue discussions with Planning and Development Services staff to advance the property as a pilot project for municipal land donation.
Former Traffic Control Building eyed for residential redevelopment
LAWRENCE, Kan. — The Affordable Housing Advisory Board authorized further study on converting the city's old Traffic Control Building into affordable housing. The site, left vacant after the Municipal Services and Operations department relocated, sits on pre-platted lots that could support up to 10 housing units under current density rules. However, board members noted the project could take up to two years to realize, as the property's long history of vehicular maintenance will require a Phase I and potentially Phase II environmental study before it can be safely transferred to a developer.
City parks and Riverfront Parking Garage ruled out for housing development
LAWRENCE, Kan. — During a review of city-owned properties, several high-profile locations were ruled out for affordable housing development. Planning and Development Services staff indicated that properties near the Lawrence Police Department and Peterson Park were either already promised for community park space or deemed too environmentally sensitive for development. Additionally, the Riverfront Parking Garage was removed from consideration after structural assessments determined it was not in a suitable condition to support apartments built on top of it.
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