Urban League of Kansas hopes to Revitalize an East Wichita Neighborhood

The Urban League of Kansas (Wichita, KS) is asking the community to come out and provide input on the revitalization of an east Wichita neighborhood that continues to see demise. 

67214 is a zip code that is seeing more wood than windows. Boarded-up homes have taken over the area mixing in with other lived-in properties.  

Greg Tennant, who owns eight homes in the area, blames COVID-19 for lack of homeownership.  

"Well, the people here don't have the income they did. Between the utilities going up and taxes, we've had to put more on to pay their bills, they can't afford it," said Tennant.   

The Urban League Interim President/CEO Cindy Miles said they want to start a project beginning on Ninth Street hoping to revive the area. The goal is to begin rebuilding housing and making it affordable for the community.  

"We realize that if we put them in rental houses or even the duplexes that are being built around the community for infill, that rent is going to go up, up, up," said Miles.    

Miles said only 58 percent of people living in this area own their homes.  The other 42 percent rent them. 

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