Affordable housing still an issue in Holton

New houses have been built or are under construction in Holton, with more on the way, but the lack of available housing in the city continues to be an issue for a Holton contractor who has been in­volved in the construction of sever­al new homes in the city over the past two years.

“My eyes have opened in the last two years to how much of a need there is” for affordable hous­ing in Holton, Mark Aeschliman of Aeschliman Construction told members of the Holton City Com­mission during their regular meet­ing on Monday while request­ing the commission’s approval of a resolution supporting his applica­tion for housing tax credits on a proposed three-lot residential sub­division in Holton.

Aeschliman, a key player in the development of and construction of homes in the Banner Oaks subdivi­sion along the south side of Banner Road, received the commission’s approval on the resolution suppor­ing his application to the Kansas Housing Resources Corporation for the Kansas Housing Investor Tax Credit (HITC) program, which also aided in the development of Banner Oaks.

In support of Aeschliman’s ap­plication for HITC assistance, the resolution states the commission’s determination that “there is a short­age of quality housing of various price ranges in the City despite the best efforts of public and private housing developers… the shortage of quality housing is a substantial deterrent to future economic growth and development in the City.”

Aeschliman agreed, telling com­missioners that affordable housing “is one of the top things to talk about if we want to talk about growth” in Holton, noting that he has been receiving calls from peo­ple — many looking to return to Holton — who want to know if there are any new homes available, or lots where new homes may be built.

“If I have one regret, I suppose it’s not having the foresight of the success that Banner Oaks has had in the last year and a half,” he said. “But it’s been proven. It’s right there in front of us. If you have housing, people will come.”

Those calls led to the purchase of a plot of land at the intersection of South Iowa Avenue and Hill­crest Drive where Aeschliman is planning to put three residential lots and build new residences that are “more than likely going to be slab homes, but they’ll be custom homes,” like those that are being built or have been built on Banner Road, he said.

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