Kansas Housing, Office of Rural Prosperity Request Bids for Statewide Housing Needs Assessment
State officials will commission Kansas’ first comprehensive study of housing needs and resources in more than 20 years, Lieutenant Governor Lynn Rogers announced. The state’s Office of Rural Prosperity, in conjunction with Kansas Housing Resources Corporation (KHRC), the state’s housing finance agency, is releasing a Request for Proposal (RFP) soliciting bids from qualified firms to develop, conduct, and deliver the assessment.
Kansas has not conducted a major housing study in decades, resulting in a dearth of data on existing housing resources and current and projected needs. The Office of Rural Prosperity’s Housing Work Group, an interagency team of state leaders led by KHRC Executive Director Ryan Vincent, identified a housing needs assessment as a crucial first step in addressing the state’s housing needs and priorities, particularly in rural and underserved areas.
“In order to address our state’s shortage of quality, affordable housing, we need to first analyze the research, then assess resources, and finally make recommendations,” Lieutenant Governor Rogers said. “Accessing this vital housing data will help state leaders determine what the needs are and how best to tackle them.”
Respondents should be prepared to explore current and long-term housing trends and needs throughout the state, provide detailed analysis of communities and populations in need, conduct a thorough review of existing housing stock, and identify barriers to access and development. Successful respondents should have experience conducting comprehensive state or federal housing assessments, be able and willing to carry out the proposal’s full scope of work, and have a demonstrated understanding of applicable federal and state statutory requirements. Proposals are due to KHRC by Monday, Nov. 30, with the selection announced on Wednesday, Dec. 9. The final statewide housing needs assessment shall be delivered to KHRC by Thursday, Dec. 9, 2021. Review the request for proposal for more details.
Kansas Housing Resources Corporation (KHRC) helps Kansans access the quality, affordable housing they need and the dignity they deserve. Codified at K.S.A. 74-8901 et. seq., KHRC is a public corporation and independent instrumentality of the state. KHRC serves as the state’s housing finance agency (HFA), administering essential housing and community programs to serve Kansans. Learn more about KHRC’s core values, programs, and services online.
Governor Laura Kelly and Lieutenant Governor Lynn Rogers created the Office of Rural Prosperity (ORP), a nonpartisan initiative established in part to ensure that rural Kansas is heard and represented in the statehouse. The ORP aims to streamline rural policy while focusing on the issues that matter to rural Kansans. During the ORP’s 2019 and 2020 statewide listening and action tours, housing was brought up by leaders in every region of the state as a vital component of recruiting and retaining workers, families, and entrepreneurs to help rural Kansas thrive.
