Ark Valley News - Condition of houses OK, study reveals

Condition of houses OK, study reveals
By Chris Strunk
Last Updated: April 12, 2018

While many of the houses in Valley Center's core neighborhoods are old, most are in good shape.

That's the message the South Central Kansas Economic Development District delivered to the Valley Center City Council earlier this month after completing a study of the city's housing stock.

"This ranks as one of the better surveys that we've done," said Jodi Suhler, who is with the organization.

The study, which included the physical inspection of the exterior of more than 1,400 houses, found that 86 percent were in good or great shape.

Suhler said 80 percent of the homes surveyed were built before 2000.

"They had the opportunity to grade much lower, and they did not, which is a very good thing," he said.

The study did not look at all of the homes in Valley Center. Its target area represented 59 percent of all the houses in the city, focusing on older neighborhoods between Meridian and West and Fifth and Main and some surrounding the railroad tracks on the south side of the city.

The study, which was commissioned by the city, was part of Valley Center's strategic plan to identify needs and support future residential growth.

"Eighty-six percent is pretty good," said City Administrator Scott Hildebrand. "People may say there are issues with housing, but it's hard to argue that. … Staff will continue to work through the strategic plan and the next budget process to come up with ideas to address this."

The study showed that 699 of the 1,414 homes received an "A" grade, which meant that they required little or no work "to bring the structure up to a minimum housing quality standard."

Further, 511 homes received a "B" grade, which meant a "moderate" amount of work would be required.

The study identified 189 homes that would require "substantial" rehabilitation, and suggested demolition or reconstruction for 15 properties.

"We do this to encourage ways to improve housing and determine whether it needs to be addressed," Suhler said.

He said the results of the study are not intended to be an overall judgment of the community, but a way to identify possible needs and whether assistance programs would be an option.

The study found that 79 percent of the properties were owner-occupied.