From the desk of Ann Fox, Executive Director

February 16, 2018

This week my mind is on the power of the law in making decent, safe, affordable housing possible….and here is why……

Kansas House Bill 2506 re: “Abandoned Property” passed the House Feb. 9. I believe this bill, if passed by the Senate, would help to further uplift our Rock the Block area by seeing that abandoned properties are not left to languish forever. Other Urban Habitats also stand to benefit. SEE MORE COMPLETE INFORMATION BELOW AND PLEASE LET ME OR KATHY LEFLER KNOW IF YOU ARE WILLING TO ADVOCATE FOR THIS BILL!

Kathy Lefler and I attended Habitat on the Hill in Washington, DC Feb 12-15. We received a $1000 scholarship to support our costs to attend as “first time” participants from the state of Kansas. You will be hearing more about what we learned, but here are a few highlights from our time there.

President Trump unveiled his FY ’19 budget, which eliminates ALL funding used by Habitats across the country for affordable homeownership programs (SHOP, HOME, USDA 502 program and National Service programs (Americorps, Vista, etc.)

We had three days of “training by firehose” on all things legislative. Particularly the importance of awareness and engagement on issues ‘at home’ that can reduce cash costs of our work.

Then we “asked” our Kansas Senators and Representatives for support during 30 minutes visits with staff in each office.

Jonathan Reckford, CEO, Habitat for Humanity International and Elisabeth Gehl, HFHI Director of Federal Relations joined us for our “first” visit with staff in Senator Pat Roberts’ office staff. They listened while we presented Habitat’s work and successes in Wichita and Kansas. No pressure there!

Elisabeth Gehl, prounounced Kathy Lefler’s Impact Sheet the “BEST SHE SAW” from any of the 40 States represented on the Hill. Elisabeth indicated she will use it as an example for others during next year’s event. (If this makes you want to look again, it was uploaded to today’s Board meeting materials in the report section FACT SHEET WICHITA HABITAT FOR HUMANITY. We shared this information in every congressional visit.)

In addition to Senator Roberts’ office, we met with staff of Senator Jerry Moran and Representatives Ron Estes, Roger Marshall and Lynn Jenkins. We also walked a few blocks with Ron Estes and greeted Roger Marshall.

400 congressional visits were completed by 350 Habitat representatives from 40 States and we asked specifically for FY ’19

HUD appropriations of $15 million for SHOP and $1 billion for HOME

Labor-HHS appropriation of $1 billion for National and Community Service programs and

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Department of Agriculture appropriation of $1 billion for Section 502 direct loans for rural housing.

See how WHFH leverages federal funds on the FACT SHEET!

The Kansas Habitat Affiliates will be meeting in Topeka Wednesday, March 28. We have scheduled a visit with Senator Oletha Faust-Goudeau on that date and are assisting other Affiliates with steps to schedule meetings with their Senate and House representatives. Board members interested in participating with the day’s events should contact Shawna Dennett, [email protected] or Donna Ringgold-Vasquez, [email protected]

I also me with City Manager Robert Layton and Assistant City Manager Scot Rigby recently to share our need for continued action and attention to the needs in 67214, which is Wichita’s most impoverished zip code. New LED lights will be installed in all city street lamps BEGINNING in our Rock the Block area. This is one positive response to concerns about recent violence near our newest homes on Estelle. MORE ATTENTION IS NEEDED and we will continue to push our City for support through their services and resources!

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MORE on Kansas House Bill 2506 This bill would allow a city to give temporary possession of residential property that has been abandoned to non-profit corporations for the purpose of putting that property back into service. “Abandoned” property is being defined as residential property with at least two years’ delinquent taxes, AND which has been unoccupied continuously for the preceding 15 months AND which has a blighting influence on surrounding properties.

This bill passed the Kansas house on February 9 and was introduced in the Senate this week. It is assigned to the Ethics, Elections and Local Government Committee. Committee members are: Chair: , Vice Chair Sen. Steve Fitzgerald, Ranking Minority Member Oletha Faust-Goudeau*, Senate members: John Doll, , Randall Hardy, Mary Pilcher-Cook, John Skubal, .

Those who oppose the bill do so based on the belief that

 it unfairly expands eminent domain,  is disproportionally impacting the property rights of low income families (such as those in the 67214 zip code in Wichita)  that it is illegal to take the property with no compensation to the property owner and  the property owner may or may not have been notified of the impending action.

We believe that numerous residential properties in the “Rock the Block” neighborhood have a negative impact on the value of our new homes. We have evidence that many homes on Poplar, Green and Estelle have been boarded up and unoccupied for all five years of our work at this location. Most of the owners are known, some even admit, “it is cheaper” to let the city manage mowing, trash removal and maintenance around the property. We believe this constitutes abdication of their responsibilities as property owners. We are hopeful that this bill can be passed to allow community partners involved in rehab, repair and demolition when necessary to change the face of this neighborhood completely.

If you have relationships with any of the committee members and are willing to voice support of this bill, please notify Ann Fox or Kathy Lefler and we will engage you as we continue to advocate for the bill’s

2 passing. If you have issue with any of the bill’s provision, please also notify us so that we can advocate for revised language that you would find more acceptable!

(Find the complete bill and follow progress at www.kslegislature.org/ bills and laws/ HB2506)

Enough for today! Thank you for your interest in ensuring low-income families a safe place to call home!

Ann

PS: if you are accessing the WHFH Board only page for the first time recently; go to About Us/Board of Directors, then “click” on the God at the Center logo and enter password: h0mesc0mmunity&h0pe

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