Affordable housing project receives conditional support from City Commission

This rendering shows a concept for The Estates of Lawrence, affordable rental housing proposed for 1356 East 1600 Road.

A 32-unit affordable housing project proposed for eastern Lawrence passed its first hurdle Tuesday when the City Commission gave its support for the development group behind the project to apply for low-income housing tax credits from the state.

The commission voted unanimously to approve a resolution expressing its support, which was required in order for the Johnson County group, Wheatland Investments, to be awarded tax credits. The application for the credits is due Friday.

Before the project, dubbed The Estates of Lawrence, could move forward, it would have to win tax credits from the Kansas Housing Resources Corporation — which are expected to be a key part of its financing. The property for which it’s proposed would have to be annexed into the city, and the property must also be rezoned — an action contingent on approval from the Lawrence-Douglas County Planning Commission and the City Commission.

“It still has to go through planning and development processes,” said Assistant City Manager Casey Toomay.

Aaron Gaspers, with Cook, Flatt & Strobel Engineers, told the commission that the project would include eight structures and comprise 12 two-bedroom units and 20 three-bedroom units. The housing would be rent controlled and affordable to households earning 50 to 60 percent of Douglas County’s median income, he said.

This rendering shows a concept for The Estates of Lawrence, affordable rental housing proposed for 1356 East 1600 Road.

“It will have outdoor green space and a playground,” Gaspers said. “It would be built to blend in to the surrounding area, be energy efficient and well maintained.”

If awarded tax credits, Wheatland Investments would be required to own The Estates of Lawrence for 30 years. Gaspers said the group has never sold any of its properties for which they’ve received the credits.

The site proposed for The Estates of Lawrence is now-vacant property at 1356 East 1600 Road, which is currently Douglas County territory. If the tax credits were awarded, annexation into the city would be Wheatland Investment’s next request.

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“I think this is wonderful; we need more affordable housing, and this fits with your goals this year,” Lawrence resident KT Walsh told commissioners. “I also know this is just a conditional approval, and I know these tax credits are difficult to get and state is under pressure to distribute them fairly.”

Walsh went on to say that if the credits were approved, she’d like the city to come up with a way to make sure The Estates of Lawrence stays affordable, even if Wheatland Investments were to sell the development after 30 years.

In other business:

• Commissioners unanimously approved keeping stop signs at two intersections on 27th Street that were intended to be only temporary.

More from Tuesday’s City Commission meeting

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The city installed stop signs, one at 27th and Louisiana streets and one at 27th Street and Ridge Court, while the Kansas Department of Transportation closed 31st Street to make preparations for the South Lawrence Trafficway.

After the street was reopened, the city reported the traffic counts at the two intersections no longer met requirements for stop signs. But residents of the area have said they wanted the stop signs to stay.

On Tuesday, a half-dozen residents of the Indian Hills neighborhood spoke in favor of keeping the stop signs, saying they help keep traffic off the street and lower speeds.

Commissioners also received 41 pages of correspondence, many from residents asking that the stop signs become permanent.

One resident of the neighborhood, Edwin Rothrock, who also served at one point on Lawrence’s Traffic Safety Commission, asked that the stop signs remain only temporarily until commissioners decided on other traffic-calming measures to install along the street.

As part of their motion, commissioners asked that city staff study traffic on 27th Street and determine whether other, different traffic-calming tools are needed.