HUMBOLDT — In a step to bring more housing to Humboldt, city leaders signed an agreement for $1,000 with First Step Builders of Independence to assess the city’s housing needs and implement a housing plan.
Jeri Hammerschmidt presented First Step’s proposal at the April 10 city council meeting. Hammerschmidt said her role is to help communities across Southeast Kansas navigate the various state and federal programs to access financial assistance for either new construction or rehabilitation of existing homes through First Step Builders.
Hammerschmidt said current construction costs are averaging $172 to $200 a square foot.
“A 1,200-square-foot home is selling for around $240,000,” she said.
With a federal grant for down payment assistance, Hammerschmidt estimated such a home could come down to $200,000.
Hammerschmidt said the company contracts with Advanced Systems of Chanute to build homes.
Cole Herder, city administrator, said he had received a letter from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment warning the city its water treatment system is exceeding the average daily limit of 250,000 gallons.
In 2020 and 2021, the plant’s average daily flow was 300,000 gallons, and in 2022, it was 240,000, just under the limit.
The city has until May 12 to respond to KDHE as to how it will handle the increased volume of water flowing into the city’s water treatment plant.
Herder said that in discussions with Bruce Boettcher, an engineer with B&G -Consultants, “in short of building a new treatment facility, there probably isn’t any great way to handle the additional volume.”
That route would be expensive — “in the millions” — and force an increase in water rates, Herder said.
Public awareness about the problem could help.
“Our ordinance says you can’t have stormwater from your roof drains flowing into the sanitary sewer system or from the sump pumps in your basement,” Herder said. “Unfortunately, there’s no way to enforce those measures or repercussions for violations, without inspecting every home and business.”
That water should be flowing into the city’s storm drains, which empty into the Neosho River.
Some cities require inspections for such things when a house is put up for sale, he said.
A lack of turnover in the housing stock makes that difficult.
