Lawrence, Kansas Development News

City Commission Adopts Comprehensive Affordable Housing Study and Incentive Policy

The City Commission discussed and adopted the 2026 Lawrence Affordable Housing Study final report, strategies, and recommendations. The study, conducted by Development Strategies, analyzes Lawrence's housing market to inform a 10-year plan aimed at increasing the production, preservation, and improvement of affordable and attainable housing. Key goals include unsticking the market by reducing production barriers, ensuring accessibility through universal design, improving housing conditions, fostering community engagement, and leveraging city policies and programs. The adopted strategies will be integrated into the 'A Place for Everyone' plan and inform future annual work plans and budget allocations. The policy also introduces various incentive tools for developers, such as direct financial incentives, use of city-owned land, tax incentives like NRAs and IRBs, and PDS fee waivers, with a focus on projects that commit to long-term affordability, typically 99 years. Specific discussions also touched on addressing the 'missing middle' housing, the role of NOAA (Naturally Occurring Affordable Housing), the potential impact of short-term rentals on housing stock, and the need for robust community engagement and transparent processes in implementing the housing plan. The policy aims to create a clear and consistent framework for evaluating and administering city incentives to support affordable and attainable housing, with the policy itself taking effect January 1, 2027, following a period of process finalization.