 Rendering of Emberhope campus housing plan (looking west)
At Tuesday night’s meeting, the City Commission heard Emberhope’s proposal for an expansion on their Newton campus.
Emberhope President and CEO Nickaila Sandate and consultant Jim Scott described the first phase of a long-term master plan: Hope Estates, a 38-unit affordable housing development designed to serve the community needs for teens aging out of foster care, foster families, and seniors. It will include one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments in townhouses, duplexes, and a small apartment building.
The organization, which provides supportive services for children and families in child welfare, sees a need for youth aging out of foster care who don’t have housing resources in place and may wind up homeless or incarcerated. Through Hope Estates, Emberhope will provide housing as well as optional supportive services through case management. The development also will help Emberhope begin moving away from a congregate care model and toward a family-oriented model.
Emberhope intends to apply next month to the Kansas Housing Resources Corporation for Low Income Housing Tax Credits for the project. The company requested that the City pledge to waive $80,000 in permit and utility service fees, as the fee waivers would earn their application additional points in the competitive process.
City Commissioners expressed support for the mission of Emberhope and acknowledged the need for services. They also expressed concern for the potential need for increased police and fire/EMS services that an expansion at Emberhope might bring. In 2023, the Police Department responded 276 times to the Emberhope campus, and Fire/EMS responded about once per week. Emberhope representatives maintained that the new project would not expand the current population of severely traumatized youth; the target audience would be adults, many of whom are already living in the Newton community.
The Commission tabled Emberhope’s request for fee waivers until they can have more discussion of the potential long-term budgetary and resource impacts for the City.
- Awarded a contract for new doors for Hangars A and J at Newton City/County Airport to Ex Cat Construction for $462,813. The cost will be split between the City and Harvey County as joint owners of the airport.
- Received a request from Mennonite Housing for $80,000 in fee waivers to be included in the City’s 2025 budget for its application for Low Income Housing Tax Credits for Phase 2 of the Harvest Pointe senior housing addition.
- Approved a request from CD Custom Enterprises to vacate a utility easement on their property near Southeast Ninth and Industrial Road.
- Proclaimed April 26 as Arbor Day.
- Proclaimed April 24-May 4 as National Small Business Week.
- Proclaimed May as Historic Preservation Month.
- Approved the following appointments to volunteer boards and commissions:
- Rod Kreie, Casie Powell and Andy Ortiz to the Choose Newton Community Development Commission
- Brian Donley, Alex Carbajal, Chip Westfall, Rod Kreie, Sal Lujano, and Casie Powell to the Newton Land Bank Board
- Larry Lee and Cathy Anderson to the Newton Public Library Board
- Deborah Kingsley and Amanda Buffalo to the Newton Housing Authority Board
- Rick Golubski to the Newton Recreation Commission
- Craig Douglass, Kim Stahly, Jennifer Vogts, Todd Tangeman, Austin Reser, and John Gilbert to the Substance Abuse Board
For more information, please contact Communications Director Erin McDaniel at 316-284-6055 or emcdaniel@newtonkansas.com.
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