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Affordable Housing in Newton, Kansas: Two Decades of LIHTC Development
CATEGORY
Affordable Housing
DATA
LIHTC Projects
Median Income
Racial Distributions
Population
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Affordable Housing
LIHTC Projects
Median Income
Racial Distributions
Population
Newton, Kansas, a Midwestern city with a population of 21,086 as of 2022, has a Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) funded affordable housing inventory of 109 total units, with 81 designated as low-income units. This represents approximately 1.35% of the city's estimated 8,079 housing units.
Newton has received $1,680,298 in project tax credits for affordable housing through the LIHTC program. With 7 projects, this equates to an average federal funding of $240,043 per project and $15,416 per unit. Newton's share of Kansas's total LIHTC funding is 1.18%, indicating a modest contribution to the state's affordable housing efforts.
The city's involvement with LIHTC-funded affordable housing spans from 1994 to 2018. The initial projects, South Park Apts I and Meadowbrook Apts, were completed in 1994, while the most recent addition, Prairie Fire Residences, was finished in 2018. This 24-year period demonstrates a sustained commitment to affordable housing in Newton.
The 2000s saw the most activity in affordable housing development, with projects such as South Park Apts II (2001), Lincoln School Apts / Lincoln Park (2002), and Sunset Townhomes (2003) being completed. Garden Walk of Newton followed in 2010, showing continued efforts into the next decade.
The LIHTC-funded housing in Newton offers a range of unit types. Of the 109 total units, 16 are one-bedroom, 42 are two-bedroom, and 45 are three-bedroom units. This distribution suggests an effort to accommodate families of various sizes within the affordable housing framework.
Newton's population has remained relatively stable over the past decade, with a slight decrease from 21,769 in 2017 to 21,086 in 2022. During this period, the median income has increased from $58,811 in 2017 to $63,786 in 2022. This rise in median income may affect the demand for affordable housing.
The racial demographics of Newton have shown minor changes. The white population decreased from 80% in 2017 to 76% in 2022. Concurrently, the Hispanic population increased from 15% to 18%, and the percentage of residents identifying as two or more races grew from 1% to 4%. These demographic shifts may influence future affordable housing needs and planning.
Newton's LIHTC-funded affordable housing inventory represents a sustained effort to provide low-income housing options. The 109 LIHTC units, with 81 designated as low-income, contribute to addressing affordable housing needs. The distribution of unit sizes indicates an attempt to accommodate diverse household compositions. The percentage of LIHTC housing in relation to the estimated total housing stock is relatively low. The demographic trends, including a stable population and rising median income, along with subtle shifts in racial composition, may influence future affordable housing strategies in Newton.
