Maybe, the second time will be the charm.

A resolution approved by the Great Bend City Council Monday night should help bring more affordable rental housing for the communities seniors. The action supported the application for tax credits to aid in a new $4 million Housing Opportunities Inc. development adjacent to the current Cherry Village senior apartments in southwest Great Bend. 

“We are home-grown,” HOI Executive Director Vicky Dayton said of the organization. Formed in 1996, it is based in Great Bend and serves Barton, Pawnee, Rice and Scott counties.

The council previously approved such support in February 2016, but HOI’s application was rejected by state officials, Dayton said. Now, HOI is again applying for the credits through the Kansas Housing Resources Corporation to build a 24-unit rental housing development for senior citizens.

Dayton said the first time around, the HOI project scored high. But, the state turned it down so available funds could be spread around to other communities.

Also, in support of this application, the city waived building permits and utility tap fees to a nearby water main. In all, these will not exceed $25,000. 

Pending approval from the state, the complex would fall under the Neighborhood Revitalization Program for five years. This program offers tax rebates of diminishing amounts over the five years, after which the property will be subject to the full property taxes.

Located at Parrish Court in the Cherry Village Addition (in the southwest corner of town), the new facility will target those 55 and older, Dayton said. Each unit in the property will have the following amenities: washer, dryer, dishwasher, microwave, refrigerator, attached single car garage, garage door opener, trash pick-up, storm shelter, lawn care, snow removal and keyless entry.

Dubbed Quail Cove, this would be HOI’s seventh such facility in Great Bend, Dayton said. “We are here to serve.”

She will make the application by Feb. 7. It will be filed with the Kansas Housing Resources Corporation. 

The project incudes constructing Parrish Road within the development that would serve the new structures, as a cul-de-sac. As of now, the only access will be off of Eisenhower on the south edge with no plans to extend Parrish through to Broadway on the north side.

In its 24 years, HOI has developed 62 home-ownership homes, 17 rental properties with 208 units dedicated to seniors and 20 family rent-to-own homes in its coverage area, totalling over $40 million. A certified Community Housing Development Organization by the state of Kansas, it has a seven-member staff. 

“We have a vacancy rate of less than 5%,” she said. HOI maintains a waiting list for its properties of over 200 names.

The start date for construction is pending, depending on approval of the tax credits.