Rising costs seem to be impacting everything these days, from the price of a cup of coffee to the electric bill. Housing is another area where you probably have noticed rapid cost increases.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development calculates fair market rent at $1,002 per month for a one-bedroom apartment in Johnson County. In 2019, rent for the same one-bedroom unit was $786 – a 22% increase. In the same four-year period, single-family home values have increased 27%, jumping from an average appraised value of $330,000 in 2019 to $451,000 in 2023.

Steep increases in such short time periods mean housing costs increase faster than wages. These increases are especially difficult for people on fixed incomes.

The U.S. Census Bureau calculates whether people are housing-cost burdened by comparing their total income before deductions (called “gross income”) to housing costs. For renters costs include rent and utilities; the calculation for homeowners includes the mortgage, taxes, insurance and utilities.

The general rule – though debated – is that people should not spend more than 30% of their total income on housing. If they do spend more, they are considered “cost burdened.” Put another way, their housing is unaffordable, or even unattainable. In Johnson County, 40% of renters and 18% of homeowners are housing-cost burdened.

Costs are one need identified by the Johnson County Housing Continuum, which contemplates the needs of residents across all types of housing. One of the Johnson County Board of County Commissioners’ priorities is to address safe, stable and attainable housing, especially for the homeless and other vulnerable populations.

In June, the BOCC allocated funds for another program to help renters. Called the Landlord Incentive Pilot Program, a sign-on bonus equal to two months of rent is available for property owners who lease to families with federally funded housing vouchers. Participants can also access a reimbursement fund as a sort of insurance against tenant-caused damages beyond the security deposit, although voucher-holders are no more likely to break things than other renters.

Johnson County has been rapidly losing units — approximately 2,000 in the past four years — previously available to low-income families with vouchers. That has usually occurred when large complexes come under new ownership and no longer participate in the voucher program.

In a rental market where there are not a lot of vacant units to begin with, this added stress meant that many people with vouchers can’t find a place to rent that will accept the form of payment. The vast majority — about 80% — of people with vouchers are elderly or disabled. The other 20% are typically single working parents or survivors of domestic violence.

Dale Griffin, a property-owner in Johnson County who recently signed his first lease with a voucher-holding family, called the program a win/win.

“As landlords, we have a business to run, but we also have hearts. If we can run our business and do something good for the community—like rent to a family trying to get their feet on the ground—that’s a good thing. I’m quite happy about it,” he said.

Griffin thinks other landlords will feel good about participating, too.

“The incentive payment was a little extra [push] to make me willing to go through an unfamiliar process. I thought there would be bureaucratic red tape, but the process was not hard at all,” he said, adding that education was key to his participation.

“I had some thoughts about voucher holders but learned that they often become long-term tenants, the Johnson County Housing Authority can help if there are any problems, and they’re not more likely to tear up property than other tenants.”

If you are a landlord interested in participating in the incentive program, contact Johnson County Landlord Liaison Jessa Molina at jessa.molina2@jocogov.org or 913-715-6618.