OVERLAND PARK, Kan. — City leaders in Overland Park know they have a housing dilemma.
"We have been looking at new means of building housing that is something other than just single-family homes or apartments," said Jack Messer, director of planning and development services for Overland Park.
The city will bring in the nonprofit Incremental Development Alliance on Thursday to inform the public about the opportunities that can come with "small-scale" homes and properties. The city also is looking at ways to build within zoning guidelines.
"Those could be built over garages,” Messer said. “Those could be built as separate structures on a piece of property.”
Many homeowners and families are under financial stress due to high rent and mortgage costs. One in five families in the county pay 30 percent of their gross income to housing, which is considered a housing-cost burden, according to the United Community Services of Johnson County. For renters, it's more at 43 percent.
"We are in need of more housing that is affordable and obtainable for folks," Messer said.
According to Zillow, the average home price is $319,000. The service said that is too much for families to pay. That's why the city wants to give people more options than an apartment or house.
"About 40 percent of our jobs in the county medium taps out at a little over $35,000 a year,” said Julie Brewer, executive director of United Community Services of Johnson County. “That doesn't really give you much to get into a house.”
She said if more people can become homeowners, it could help those families and improve the county.
"If I give all my time and talents in one community, but I commute 45 minutes a day to another community, where am I making that community?” Brewer said. “What is my connectedness? What is my voice?"
The city will host the nonprofit on 6 p.m. Thursday at The Matt Ross Community Center, Crown Room.
