$1.1 Million Available to Help Kansas Families Secure Safe, Affordable Housing

September 8, 2011

by KHRC

Category: News || Housing & Development, Property, Rentals, Transactions | No Comments

–Kansas Housing Resources Corporation Awards Rental Assistance Grants to Ten Agencies–

Topeka, KS – September 8, 2011 – (RealEstateRama) — Ten non-profits and public housing authorities statewide will receive approximately $1.1 million in Tenant Based Rental Assistance (TBRA) to help Kansas families obtain safe, affordable housing of their choice. Funded through the federal HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME) and administered by Kansas Housing Resources Corporation (KHRC), TBRA helps income-eligible households afford rental subsidies, utility deposits and security deposits.

“A home provides a sense of safety and security, enriching the resident’s quality of life and creating strong neighborhoods where Kansas families can grow and share,” said Carolyn Rebek, TBRA Program Manager. “This program assists families including those who would otherwise be at risk of homelessness.”

Providing up to two years of rental subsidy assistance, the funds help income-eligible households obtain affordable rental housing in their communities. Rental assistance is based on the eligible tenant’s selection of a unit from all available rental units in the community that fall within rent guidelines and pass Housing Quality Inspection Standards. Households served may include those meeting agency preferences such as single parents, victims of domestic violence, senior citizens and persons with disabilities. Households generally pay no more than 30 percent of their income for rent. Security and utility deposit assistance may also be available.

Awarded annually, TBRA grants are based on a community’s housing needs, the number of households estimated to be served and the organization’s experience in administering TBRA funding. Public housing authorities and non-profit organizations may apply for grants of up to $300,000.

HOME TBRA differs from other types of HOME rental housing activities in two key ways:

TBRA programs utilize HOME funds to help individual households rather than subsidizing new affordable rental projects.
TBRA assistance varies based on the size and income of the household, and the rent standard.

The recipients of 2011 TBRA awards* are as follows:

GRANTEE	AWARD	CITIES/COUNTIES SERVED
Bert Nash	$100,000	City of Lawrence and Douglas County
Rental Assistance, Security and Utility Deposits		Charlotte Knoche: 785-842-8110
Breakthrough Club	$97,176	City of Wichita and Sedgwick County
Rental Assistance		Jill Quigley: 316-262-3160 X 125
Independence Housing Authority	$150,000	City of Independence
Rental Assistance		April Nutt: 620-332-2536
Manhattan Housing Authority	$90,000	City of Manhattan and Pottawatomie County
Rental Assistance, Security and Utility Deposits		Shauna Blankenship: 785-776-8588
Northeast Kansas Community Action Program, Inc.	$75,000	Atchison, Brown, Doniphan, Jackson, Jefferson, Nemaha and Marshall Counties
Rental Assistance, Security and Utility Deposits		Kristy Morey: 785-740-4002
Northwest Kansas Planning and Development	$100,000	Cheyenne, Rawlins, Decatur, Norton, Phillips, Smith, Sherman, Thomas, Sheridan, Graham, Rooks, Osborne, Wallace, Logan, Gove, Trego, Ellis and Russell Counties
Rental Assistance, Security and Utility Deposits		Loyce Schamberger: 785-421-2151
Prairie View Inc.	$70,000	Harvey, Marion and McPherson Counties
Rental Assistance		Brad Schmidt: 316-284-6439
Southeast Kansas Community Action Program	$275,000	Allen, Bourbon, Chautauqua, Cherokee, Crawford, Elk, Labette, Linn, Montgomery, Neosho, Wilson and Woodson Counties
Rental Assistance, Security and Utility Deposits		Craig Chronister: 620-724-8204 X 1004
Southwest Guidance Center	$100,000	Meade, Haskell, Seward and Stevens Counties
Rental Assistance and Security Deposits		Barbara Correll: 620-624-0280 X 23
Wyandot Center for Behavioral Health Care	$65,000	Kansas City, Kansas in Wyandotte County
Rental Assistance and Security Deposits

* Grant awards will begin November 1, 2011.

Kansas Housing Resources Corporation is a public corporation that finances and develops affordable housing opportunities for low and moderate-income residents throughout Kansas. We serve as the primary administrator of federal housing programs on behalf of the State of Kansas. For more information about KHRC’S Tenant Based Rental Assistance Program, please contact Carolyn Rebek at 785-296-0090 or visit our website at www.kshousingcorp.org.

Contact:
Catherine Couch
785-296-0081, ccouch (at) kshousingcorp (dot) org