TOPEKA – Ten Kansas communities, including Lyons and Stafford County, will share $2.1 million in funding to build moderate-income housing and infrastructure in rural areas. The Moderate-Income Housing Program, an initiative funded by the State of Kansas and administered by Kansas Housing Resources Corporation, works to help cities and counties develop multi-family rental units, single-family for-purchase homes, and water, sewer and street extensions in communities with populations fewer than 60,000 people.
MIH funding can also be used to finance construction costs, rehabilitate unsafe or dilapidated housing, and offer down-payment and closing-cost assistance to homebuyers.  
Lyons will receive a $200,000 award to assist with homebuyer assistance for 10 newly constructed homes. Homebuyers will be given a $40,000 grant, of which $10,000 will be repaid to the city that will use the funds to establish an emergency repair program.
Stafford County will receive an award of $168,000 to assist with the construction costs of eight homes in the towns of Stafford, St. John and Macksville. Stafford County Economic Development is providing and additional $274,000 to offset financing construction costs. The county is also using Community Service tax credits.
“Now in its second year, the Moderate-Income Housing Program offers an important resource for rural cities and towns undertaking housing initiatives,” said Dennis L. Mesa, executive director of KHRC. “When we support activities that revitalize communities, we raise the standard of living for all families who live there,” said Mesa.
 The need for moderate-income, workforce housing throughout Kansas is growing. Currently, there are 97 counties and over 600 communities eligible to apply for MIH funding. These communities comprise approximately 68 percent of the state’s total population.  Numerous municipalities statewide are experiencing opportunities for economic development and job growth, but the lack of adequate, affordable housing is posing roadblocks to new expansion.
Others receiving funds included:
City of Cottonwood Falls, $100,000
City of Hoxie, $382,451
City of Hugoton, $250,000
City of Humboldt, $100,000
City of Liberal, $350,000
City of Parsons, $100,000
City of Quinter, $400,000
City of Stockton, $71,000
 KHRC defines moderate-income as households earning between 60 and 150 percent of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s FY2013 income limits, or income ranging from $23,220 and $109,350 depending on family size.
In 2012, the MIH program provided $2.3 million to develop new housing and infrastructure development in Kansas, leveraging $22.1 million in private funding. This year’s awards are expected to leverage $18.3 million in local funding, and create or preserve 146 housing units in Kansas.