KSHB 41 reporter Olivia Acree covers portions of Johnson County, Kansas. She's committed to following this story, and any other story in Lenexa. Reach out to her if you have an opinion to share, or share your story idea with Olivia.
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Some Lenexa residents are pushing back against a proposal that would turn a piece of land they use as a park into an affordable housing development. They want answers from the city before anything changes, and they lose a park they love.
“We take our dogs up there, a lot of the people do,” said Dan Wilkus, who lives in a neighborhood nearby. “Their kids are riding bikes, and it's so peaceful to go through there.”
Habitat for Humanity of Kansas City is proposing to build about 50 affordable homes on the peaceful property. Residents Christina Wallace and Dan Wilkus said they are not opposed to affordable housing, but they question the location.
“Why do we have to put this here? We don't want to lose our park,” Wallace said.
Habitat for Humanity KC CEO Lindsay Hicks said the site was chosen because of its surroundings and future plans for the area.
“This is a really great area,” said Hicks. “Not to mention the future park that's going to be there.”
A 2018 city concept map shows that a larger park was always planned nearby, though not specifically on the 17 acres proposed for development. Lenexa City Manager Beccy Yocham said the planned park land would remain untouched.
“57 acres has always planned to be parks and wetlands and trail facilities, and that is completely unimpacted by this development proposal,” Yocham said.
Residents have also raised concerns about who would benefit from the homes after obtaining emails between the city and Habitat discussing the possibility of city employees getting first dibs.
Wilkus cited one email referencing “...the idea of establishing a way we could allow City of Lenexa employees to benefit from this opportunity.”
I brought that concern to Yocham. She defended the idea of city workers living in the community.
“I don't understand what's controversial about having the people who protect and serve and maintain this community having the opportunity to live in the community,” she said.
Hicks said city employees would not receive preferential treatment in the application process.
“While we can't put them as a preference, what we can do is we can educate them about our program,” said Hicks. “They could apply for a program just like anybody else.”
Hicks said the project is part of a broader effort to address housing affordability across Johnson County.
“There is such a need for this type of housing, and there is a need for housing at price points that don't start at $500,000 and $600,000,” she said.
Residents said they agree there is a need for affordable housing but want greater transparency.
“If this is such a great project… let's talk to the community, not just wait till the last second,” Wilkus said.
When asked whether Habitat followed all required steps in the approval process, Hicks said the organization exceeded expectations.
“We did everything that we're required to, but we felt like we went above and beyond to do this and there was no, absolutely no, strategy behind when we applied for the project,” she said.
Wilkus said residents feel the process has discouraged public input.
“We've been trying to ask these questions. And isn't that our job as citizens to question what our government's doing?” he said.
The vote to rezone the land was delayed after a missed public notice deadline for a rezoning hearing. The Lenexa Planning Commission is now scheduled to vote on the rezoning Feb. 2.
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