Housing Assessment Tool

Addressing your community’s housing needs and strategizing a plan that reflects the long-term community goals is an ongoing decision-making process. The role of the housing committee is to guide the community through the HAT process. The duties include organizing engagement and outreach, assisting with gathering data, communicating with stakeholders, and disseminating information from the HAT.

The committee is made up of 5-10 individuals as representatives from relevant stakeholders, organizations, and residents. A stakeholder is anyone who impacts or is impacted by local housing. For communities with minimal resources, communities can make a large effort to connect with these relevant stakeholders through the public and stakeholder engagement process.

Part 2 has five components:

• Past Housing Initiatives, Infrastructure, and City Services Inventory:

This component examines past housing initiatives to inform what has or has not worked in a city’s housing efforts. It can identify potential partnerships and areas a city may want to continue its housing investment. The status of infrastructure and city services determine whether a city can support more housing development.

• Housing Needs Assessment

Communities will answer questions based on a housing report created by Local Housing Solutions that compiles and visually displays publicly available national data sources, such as U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS), and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Topics include demographics, rental and homeownership affordability, subsidized housing, supply and demand, housing stock characteristics, and older adult housing.

• Stakeholder Interviews

The housing committee will briefly interview 1) up to five of the large employers in the area and 2) up to two local realtors to provide insight on the current and future housing needs in your community. Interview questions are provided in additional resources below.

• Regional Housing Analysis

Communities assess how their regional housing challenges and opportunities impact their community by using the Kansas Statewide Housing Needs Assessment 2021.

• Housing Physical Condition Assessment

Volunteers travel through the community to evaluate the exterior condition of existing housing and potential uses for vacant lots in a focus area or the entire community. A housing condition rating guide and survey template are provided in additional resources below.

Public input and ongoing engagement are essential components of the planning process to ensure the identified housing needs, goals, and actions reflect the needs and desires of the residents. It is strongly recommended to complete a public outreach effort in the community in addition to the housing committee.

Communities identify an engagement method that best fits their timeline and resources. Methods can include a distributed community survey, one-on-one meetings, focus groups, or community workshop. Facilitators are available through K-State Research & Extension or the Kansas Department of Commerce Community Development Division. A survey question bank is provided in the additional resources below.

Once the housing committee thoroughly reviews the community’s data and public input, the committee pulls it all together to have a clear assessment of the local housing needs. This is the opportunity to set clear objectives and priorities to address housing in the community.

The committee will assess a comprehensive list of housing initiatives, types, attributes, and supporting services in their community to “score” as either a housing asset, neutral, or a housing need. Once complete, the committee describes the top three housing assets AND top three housing needs to present at the HIAC meeting.

How long does it take to complete the HAT?

The suggested timeline for completing the HAT is approximately one to three months. The process depends on a community’s capacity and the ability to complete the housing study. The housing committee will decide its capability and timeline for completing the HAT. A tentative timeline is on page 2 of the HAT Guide.

Why is the HAT recommended?

The purpose of the HAT process is for communities to assess their housing inventory and needs without hiring a consultant to perform a housing study. When applying for funding from Kansas state agencies, it is recommended communities strategically prioritize the greatest housing needs. This ensures the housing investment is most effective to be eligible for grant funding.

Housing is an economic development issue and addressing local employer needs and learning what the housing market demands are can improve the economic opportunity in your community. If a community strategically implements its housing priorities, it can simultaneously address economic development and housing growth. The following are some of the ways housing is connected to local economic development:

• The opportunity to attract a new business with developing workforce housing
• An existing business(s) in the immediate market area may intend to expand its operations and hire new employees with available housing.
• The correlation between the proposed wages of a new or expanding business and the cost (rent/mortgage) of housing development.
• The job retention of a local business is dependent upon adequate housing development.
• Aging housing stock, misalignment between available housing and market needs, and affordability all can negatively impact local economic vitality

Will communities receive a copy of their completed HAT for their records?

Yes. After a community submits its HAT on the HAT Form, Commerce will email a PDF copy of the HAT with a one-page summary page within one week of submission.

How do I use the HAT in the future?

The HAT is a community’s first step in the housing development process to assess its local housing stock and strategize priorities for housing investment. The housing committee can continue to meet to collaborate and seek funding for future housing initiatives and projects.

To start developing housing, the community will identify potential developers and other financial stakeholders to implement the projects. Ideally, the HAT process has helped a community identify the potential partnerships and locations for development. Once this has been established, the community applies for state and federal funding. 

The steps to success are as follows:

Is there a paper format for communities that have little access to technology?

Communities can use the HAT Guide as a physical copy of the HAT process. The answers must be entered on the online HAT Form for submission. If communities have limited technological access or capacity, we recommend contacting outside organizations to assist. Contact Liz Heron at [email protected] for more information or assistance.

Will communities receive a copy of their completed HAT for their records?

Yes. After a community submits its HAT on the HAT Form, Commerce will return the HAT with a one-page summary page for their records.

How do I assist a community through the HAT?

Here is the recording of a webinar that was held discussing the best practices in assisting communities through the HAT process: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ex9E1V5vlso. Contact Sara Bloom at [email protected] if you need any assistance completing the HAT.

Are the Additional Resources required to complete the HAT?

No. The Additional Resources are optional but recommended to assist in the HAT process.

What do HIAC meetings entail?

The HIAC meeting stands for the “Housing Inter-Agency Committee” meeting. This is an opportunity for communities to meet virtually with program managers for the state and federal housing funding (Commerce, Kansas Housing Resources Corporation (KHRC), USDA-Rural Development, and Federal Home Loan Bank of Topeka). Communities present their housing priorities and hear from program managers on their resources. Participating in a HIAC is not required but highly encouraged.

When and where are the HIAC meetings?

All HIAC meetings are virtual through Microsoft Teams. The HIAC have scheduled dates on every third Wednesday monthly. Contact Tim Parks ([email protected]) to schedule the meeting.

What state and federal housing funding opportunities could be discussed at the HIAC meeting?

State and federal housing resources available in Kansas can be found at the Housing Resources in Kansas page. A brief description of each program is provided in the additional resources.

The purpose of the Housing Interagency Advisory Committee (HIAC) is to provide guidance and direction to communities seeking funding for housing projects. The HIAC consists of federal and state agency representatives from the Kansas Department of Commerce, Kansas Housing Resource Corporation, USDA Rural Development, and Federal Home Loan Bank.

Communities can attend an optional virtual HIAC meeting to present their HAT key findings and housing priorities. The goal of a HIAC meeting is for communities to receive HAT feedback and for the state agencies to describe how their programs can address the community’s housing needs. Communities can connect with program managers and determine the next steps to address housing goals. There is no requirement for communities to meet with the HIAC for funding.

The HIAC dates are scheduled on the third Wednesday every month. Contact Tim Parks for questions and scheduling at [email protected].