Homeownership Programs

First Time Home Buyers Program (FTHB) :
The First Time Homebuyers Program (FTHB) provides down payment assistance to qualified Kansas buyers for the purchase of their first home. The program is for persons who have incomes at or below 80 percent of the median income for their area. The loan may be from 15 to 20 percent of the purchase price of the home, awarded on a sliding scale, depending on the applicant’s income level. Buyers are expected to make a minimum investment of $500 or two percent of the sale price, whichever is greater. Private lenders process the second mortgages in conjunction with the first mortgage financing.

Homeowner Rehabilitation Program (HR) :
The Homeowner Rehabilitation Program, funded through the federal HOME Investment Partnerships Program, assists communities with repairing and rehabilitating owner-occupied homes. Local Kansas communities (cities and counties), referred to as State recipients, outside the federal HOME entitlement communities of Kansas City, Johnson County, Lawrence, Topeka, and Wichita, may apply for program funds up to $300,000 for administering a homeowner rehabilitation program in their community.

Grant funds will pass through the State recipient on a reimbursement basis, and assistance is to be provided to the homeowner in the form of a loan. The entire residential property must be rehabilitated to pass Housing Quality Standards (HQS) and KHRC's HQS Variances, and must be repaired in accordance with a building code. All HOME Program requirements at 24 CFR Part 92 apply, including federal procurement (competitive bidding) practices. New lead-based paint hazard evaluation and reduction regulations at 24 CFR Part 35 also apply. Recipients are granted an allowance for program administration up to 5% of the funding used for rehabilitation.

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Emergency Repair Program (ERP) :
The Emergency Repair Program (ERP) assists homeowners with emergency repairs of existing owner-occupied properties to enable residents to maintain a safe environment in their home. Examples of emergency repairs are an inoperable or faulty furnace, leaking roof, unsafe electrical wiring and plumbing, hazardous structural conditions, etc.

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Kansas Energy Efficiency Program (KEEP) :
The Kansas Energy Efficiency Program (KEEP) provides low interest loans to qualified Kansas homeowners to make improvements to their homes to increase energy efficiency. KEEP has no income restrictions. KHRC funds half of the loaned amount, up to a maximum of $10,000.

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Kansas Accessibility Modification Program (KAMP) :
The Kansas Accessibility Modification Program (KAMP) is a program designed for two basic purposes: 1) to provide accessibility modifications to residences allowing individuals to better fulfill their abilities to use their homes, and 2) to gather information for future planning about the need in our state for such modifications.

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Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) :
The Weatherization Assistance Program, funded through the U.S. Department of Energy and the Low-Income Energy Assistance Program, provides housing improvements that increase energy efficiency in income-eligible, single- or multi-family dwellings, including manufactured homes.

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Rental Housing Programs

HOME Rental Development & Community Housing Development Organization (HOME Rental & CHDOs) :
The HOME Rental Development program, funded through the federal HOME Investment Partnerships program, assists developers with increasing the supply of affordable rental housing. KHRC will annual set-aside an amount equal to at least 15% of it's HOME allocation for rental development owned or owned and development by Community Housing Development Organizations (CHDO). Nonprofit organizations must meet certain criteria to be considered a CHDO, as defined by HOME program regulations.

Owner/developers may apply for a loan in an amount of up to $300,000. The loan may be used to acquire, rehabilitate, or construct rental housing.

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Housing Tax Credits (HTC) :
Enacted in the Tax Reform Act of 1986, the Housing Tax Credit (HTC) is designed to secure private equity capital for the development of affordable rental housing. The HTC can provide as much as 55%-60% of the total development cost which reduces the amount of debt financing in affordable rental housing developments. This allows lower rents and greater affordability.

The HTC is an excellent community investment tool. It is responsible for the development of more than 20,000 units in Kansas. The KHRC has authority to allocate approximately $45 million of ten year credits each year.

Housing Tax Credit Compliance (HTCC) :
The Housing Tax Credit Compliance (HTCC) unit exists to service and oversee the contractual documents and covenants between private developers and the KHRC. The unit provides advanced training and technical assistance to owners and managers on federal and state rules and regulations in the areas of program compliance, code compliance, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Fair Housing, and landlord/tenant law.

The unit ensures the affordability, safety and durability of housing developed using the federal tax credit, and assists in problem solving at the local level where properties may struggle due to a change in market conditions, owner negligence, acts of nature, community relationships or problems encountered when operating a development that has multiple sources of funding.

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Kansas Accessibility Modification Program (KAMP) :
The Kansas Accessibility Modification Program (KAMP) is a program designed for two basic purposes: 1) to provide accessibility modifications to residences allowing individuals to better fulfill their abilities to use their homes, and 2) to gather information for future planning about the need in our state for such modifications.

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Private Activity Bond Allocation (PAB) :
Tax-Exempt Bond financing for multifamily housing is available through the State's Private Activity Bond (PAB) authority. The federal government empowers the State to allocate $185.5 million in PABs. The PAB is designed to provide local units of government the ability to issue tax-exempt bonds for a number of purposes including, but not limited to: facility and equipment financing for qualified manufacturers and processors, Beginning Farmers Program, waste treatment facilities, Mortgage Credit Certificates (MCC), Mortgage Revenue Bonds (MRB), and financing for residential rental developments.

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Rural Housing Incentive District (RHID):
The Kansas Rural Housing Incentive District Act (K.S.A. 12-5241 ? 12-5251) encourages housing development in rural cities and counties, where housing shortages exist, by authorizing tax increment financing for public improvements.

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Section 8 Contract Administration (CA) :
With the signing of the Annual Contributions Contract (ACC) with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the Asset Management Division provides contract administration (CA) services to ensure the financial and physical integrity of Section 8 properties in the State of Kansas.

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Tenant Based Rental Assistance (TBRA) : Tenant Based Rental Assistance (TBRA) funds are used to make housing affordable for income-eligible families, elderly persons, and persons with disabilities. Eligible activities include rental subsidy, security deposit, and/or utility deposit programs.

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Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) :
The Weatherization Assistance Program, funded through the U.S. Department of Energy and the Low-Income Energy Assistance Program, provides housing improvements that increase energy efficiency in income-eligible, single- or multi-family dwellings, including manufactured homes.

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Supportive Services

Community Services Block Grant Program (CSBG) :
The Community Services Block Grant program (CSBG) is a federally funded program designed to assist local agencies to provide a range of services and activities having a measurable and potentially major impact on causes of poverty in the community.

Emergency Shelter Grant Program (ESG) :
The Emergency Shelter Grant (ESG) program was originally established by the Homeless Housing Act of 1986. It grew from out of a response to the growing issue of homelessness among men, women, and children. In 1987, the ESG program was incorporated into subtitle B of title IV of the Stewart B. Mckinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11371-11378).

The Emergency Shelter Grant is designed to be the first stage in a continuum of assistance to prevent homelessness and to enable homeless individuals to move toward independent living. Applications are accepted and considered from local units of government only.

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Planning and Fair Housing

Consolidated Plan (CP) :
The Consolidated Plan serves as the State's policy guide for the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME), Emergency Shelter Grant (ESG), and Housing Opportunities for Persons with Aids (HOPWA) programs. Also, the Plan serves as the State's annual application for federal funds for these programs.

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Fair Housing Team (FHT) :
The Fair Housing Team (FHT) seeks to inform housing providers and consumers about fair housing rights and responsibilities, encourage State-funded housing providers to promote fair housing choice, and enlist decision-makers to advance the cause of fair housing.

Discrimination is defined by the Kansas Commission on Human Rights as any direct or indirect exclusion, distinction, segregation, limitation, refusal, denial, or any other differentiation or preference in the treatment of a person or persons on account of race or color, national origin, ancestry, religion, sex, familial status or disability and/or any denial of any right, privilege or immunity secured or protected by the Constitution or laws of Kansas.