Staff writer
A panel of Marion residents met last week to set the trail for assessment of housing in Marion.
Marion economic development director Randy Collett said the group of 12 participants has been given the job of completing a housing assessment tool by June 30.
Collett said he first advertised for volunteers for the panel, but none stepped forward.
“I didn’t get any volunteers so I strong-armed a dozen people to participate,” Collett said.
Collett said Kansas Department of Commerce requires completion of a housing assessment tool before the community can move forward with any grants or funding available for housing projects.
“There are five more working meetings, and those have been scheduled,” Collett said. “The target completion date is June 30 because this has to be done before we can go any further.”
Collett said such funding as community development block grants might be available after the assessment is finished.
“It will be a factual assessment of housing in our town instead of going on people’s opinions,” Collett said of the to-be-completed project.
According to the KDOC website, the purpose of a housing assessment tool is to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and priorities before the community allocates resources for housing projects.