Sedgwick County to apply for grant to help Oaklawn homes

(WICHITA, Kan.) — They did not have much time to consider it, but Sedgwick County Commissioners vote to apply for a grant to rehabilitate homes in Oaklawn.

The $400,000 community development block grant will help to repair as many as 18 homes in the Oaklawn area. The county targeted Oaklawn because of the April tornado which damaged and destroyed dozens of homes in the area southeast of Wichita.

The grant requires the county to match $100,000, but the county get recoup some of the money from landlords. The grant requires that, for money spent on rental properties, the landlord must pay for 25% of the project cost.

County commissioners expressed some frustration about the vote, since it came as an off-agenda item. The grant application deadline is Thursday, but Commissioners Jim Skelton, who represents the Oaklawn area, said he just learned about the grant this week.

Organizers apologized for the short notice, but pointed out it is just an application and more details and work on it would come before the county later. Commissioners voted to apply for the grant, then bring it before the commission later before the project proceeds. The application passed 4-1.