The Board of County Commissioners’ Housing Subcommittee presented its final subcommittee report during the BOCC meeting on April 6, 2023.

This follows two years working with community stakeholders and county staff to identify opportunities to address housing needs. These needs were previously identified in the Johnson County Housing Study, released in 2021.

The subcommittee has begun to address its three priority areas, outlining the following action and more in the final report:

1. Address homelessness: funding for planning of a congregant shelter, cold weather shelter investments, food pantries through the Food Insecurity Program, and more
2. Preserve existing housing: funding for rent and utility assistance, home weatherization and maintenance, cooperation with the Olathe Housing Authority, and more
3. Develop attainable housing and homeownership opportunities: funding for attainable housing projects, including County Resource Funds, HOME Investment Partnership Funds, and more

Additionally, Megan Foreman began her work as the county’s new Housing Coordinator in January 2023, ensuring staff have a continual focus on housing issues moving forward.

In the final report, the subcommittee also lists current resources, targeted to different audiences under a framework called the Johnson County Housing Continuum. The continuum depicts the spectrum from chronically homeless to cost-burdened homeowners.

The county’s new Housing and Homelessness Assistance Guide is a hub for information on these efforts and more, as well as county services that serve those in need of assistance.

The county will continue to build on its framework, identifying further opportunities to address housing and homelessness issues in the community.

The subcommittee will provide quarterly updates and recommendations to the BOCC, with its next presentation to be featured at the April 20 Committee of the Whole meeting.