Affordable Housing

The City of Lawrence strives to create a community where all enjoy life and feel at home.
In order to advance the health, safety, and welfare of all residents, it is our goal that all persons in the community have access to safe, affordable housing and the supportive services necessary to maintain independent living with dignity.

WHAT IS AFFORDABLE HOUSING?

Affordable housing is housing that a household can pay for, while still having money left over for other necessities like food, transportation, and health care. The federal government defines housing as affordable when it consumes no more than 30% of a household’s income. Therefore, what’s considered “affordable” depends on a household’s income.

The price that is affordable may vary, but the need for housing that is affordable is the same for everyone.

Unfortunately, a growing share of the population cannot afford its housing costs. Locally, almost half (49%) of all renters and one in four homeowners are “housing insecure”, meaning they are cost burdened from their housing. The lowest-income households are the most likely to be severely cost burdened, but even moderate income earners in Lawrence struggle to find affordable  housing.

The Affordable Housing Trust Fund supports the development and rehabilitation of affordable housing for low and moderate income households.

OUR PLAN TO INCREASE AFFORDABLE HOUSING

The City of Lawrence and Douglas County have a commitment to the shared goal of creating a system that achieves  functional zero  through policy, system, and environmental changes resulting in all Douglas County residents having access to the fundamental human right of safe, accessible, attainable, and affordable housing, and which homelessness is a rare and brief occurrence.

AFFORDABLE HOUSING TRUST FUND

The Affordable Housing Advisory Board (AHAB) oversees the City’s Affordable Housing Trust Fund and makes recommendations to the City Commission on tools and strategies to increase access to safe, quality, affordable housing and supportive services necessary to maintain independent living with dignity.

• Click here for our Trust Fund Projects Dashboard to follow our progress
• 2025 Affordable Housing Trust Fund projects

AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN LAWRENCE

The City of Lawrence partners with local affordable housing developers and providers to serve Lawrence residents. For assistance with finding affordable housing or for housing assistance, please contact the organizations listed below. For more help navigating housing or other community resources, please call 2-1-1.

Affordable Rentals:

Lawrence-Douglas County Housing Authority
Affordable rentals for general housing, seniors, veterans, transitional housing, and housing vouchers

Tenants to Homeowners
Affordable rentals, Affordable homeownership, and home repair

Bethel Estates
Affordable senior rental housing

Poehler Lofts
Affordable rentals

Penn St. Lofts
Affordable rentals

Prairie Ridge Apartments
Affordable rentals

9Del Lofts
Affordable rentals

Union at the Loop
Affordable rentals

Affordable Homeownership:

Lawrence Habitat for Humanity
Affordable homeownership and home repair

Tenants to Homeowners
Affordable rentals, Affordable homeownership, and home repair

Housing Assistance:

Catholic Charities
Rental and utility assistance, housing and resource navigation

EKAN
Home weatherization for low-income households

Housing Stabilization Collaborative
Rental and utility assistance

Housing and Credit Counseling
First time homebuyer assistance, housing and resource navigation, tenant/landlord rights information

Independence, Inc.
Home accessibility modifications for low-income persons with disabilities

Family Promise
Rental and utility assistance, housing and resource navigation, transitional housing

For more information, or to get involved, contact Lea Roselyn, Affordable Housing Administrator: LRoselyn@lawrenceks.org