HUTCHINSON, Kan. – [August 7, 2026]- The City of Hutchinson and Hutchinson Community Foundation are celebrating a major milestone in the community’s efforts to expand housing opportunities, as two Hutchinson developments have been selected to receive competitive Low Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) from the State of Kansas.
Both developments were chosen as part of the Kansas Housing Resources Corporation’s highly competitive 2026 9% LIHTC program, representing two of only 13 projects awarded statewide. Together, the awards will support construction of 78 new affordable housing units in Hutchinson and provide approximately $1.7 million in federal LIHTC and $1.7 million in Kansas Affordable Housing Tax Credits.
The Awarded Developments
- Hutchinson Park, developed by Zimmerman Properties, LLC, located at the northeast corner of Lorraine Street and 13th Avenue. The project will construct 48 new affordable housing units.
- Plaza Trails, developed by JES Dev Co., Inc., located on Plaza East Drive. The project will construct 30 new affordable housing units, including six units designated as market rate.
The City of Hutchinson and Hutchinson Community Foundation worked closely with both development teams throughout the application process. Local support including fee waivers, Industrial Revenue Bonds, and low-interest financing strengthened the proposals and helped position Hutchinson for success in the statewide competition.
“The KHRC awards for Hutchinson Park and Plaza Trails represent more than just new housing projects, they reflect our community’s commitment to ensuring every resident has access to safe, quality homes,” said Enrico Villegas, City Manager for the City of Hutchinson. “These developments are the result of persistence, partnership, and a shared belief in Hutchinson’s future. I’m grateful to everyone involved for their dedication, and I look forward to the positive, long-term impact these homes will bring to our neighborhoods.”
The awards advance key recommendations from the City’s Housing Needs Assessment, which identified the need for hundreds of additional housing units to meet current and future demand. Adding 84 new homes is an important step toward reducing the community’s housing shortage and increasing opportunities for residents across diverse income levels.
The developments also support the City’s Strategic Plan, which identifies “Expand and Diversify Housing Options” as a major community priority. By increasing the supply of quality homes, these projects will help strengthen neighborhoods, support workforce recruitment and retention, and encourage continued economic growth.
For Hutchinson Community Foundation, these are the latest projects to receive support under its 3-Year Housing Initiative, launched last year to make progress on the community’s critical housing needs and meet resident priorities identified in years of engagement efforts. It’s also another example of how strategic partnerships can create lasting community impact.
“We made a loan commitment that met the state’s requirements for 10 bonus points on two local projects, and in the end, Hutchinson won both,” said Aubrey Abbott Patterson, President & CEO of Hutchinson Community Foundation. “I’m proud that together with our partners at the City of Hutchinson and our resource partner, First National Bank of Hutchinson, we did what needed to be done to gain 84 units of housing for our community, which desperately needs it.”
The Community Foundation’s loans also demonstrate the power of philanthropy to activate change.
“The awarding of these low-income housing tax credits to Hutchinson is an important step in the development of the needed housing stock for our community. Partial low-interest financing from the Reno County Impact Investment Pool at the Community Foundation assisted these projects in qualifying for awards in a statewide competition,” said Kim Moore, Hutchinson Community Foundation Impact Investment Committee chair. “Thanks to the many foundation donors who make possible commitments like these toward the future of our community through investing part of their philanthropic dollars in the Impact Investment Pool.”
The Low Income Housing Tax Credit program is the nation’s primary tool for encouraging private investment in affordable rental housing. Administered in Kansas by the Kansas Housing Resources Corporation, the program awards tax credits through a competitive process to developments that address documented housing needs and demonstrate strong local support.
Construction timelines for both developments will be announced by the developers as project financing and final approvals are completed.
Together, these awards represent an important step forward in implementing Hutchinson’s long-term housing strategy and ensuring the community has the housing options needed to support residents, employers, and future growth.
