Brownback Looks To Address Rural Housing

Gov. Sam Brownback says creating a new rural housing program may be on Kansas legislators’ agenda next year because communities see it as important to attracting new workers.

Brownback said during a meeting of economic advisers Wednesday that as he’s traveled across the state, he has advised rural lawmakers to get together to deal with housing issues.

The meeting of the economic advisers focused on rural housing needs. The group heard multiple cases of rural communities having housing shortages.

Cohen-Esrey Real Estate Service CEO Lee Harris called the state’s $2.3 million low-income housing program "paltry." He suggested that the state use some of the taxes paid by insurance companies on the value of premiums for tax breaks for rural housing developers.
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