If you live in a house …yes an apartment is okay … then the Inaugural Housing Expo has something for you. The event, sponsored by the City of Wichita Housing Authority and Housing and Community Services Department will bring together 50 vendors for a one-stop shop for renters, home owners, potential homeowners and landlords on Sat., June 18, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. at Century II Exhibition Hall.
The event was planned to coincide with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s designation of June as Homeownership Month. However John E. Hall, the city’s new housing director, expanded the expo to address the needs of existing homeowners, renters, and landlords.
Those interested in owning a home can participate in homeownership workshops, visit with potential mortgage lenders and learn more about housing ownership assistance programs available through the City of Wichita. Developers of affordable housing will be in attendance showing off their available new home floor plans and financing packages.
A video produced by HUD will teach potential homeowners how to identify predatory lending practices, while another video will help potential renters identify incidents of housing discrimination. In addition to race-based discrimination, it’s illegal for renters to discriminate against renters based on their family size or an existing disability. The videos will run hourly during the expo.
“People will be aware of things to listen out for if they are submitting applications and being denied access to housing,” Hall said.
For families needing rent assistance, the City of Wichita will be accepting applications for its Section 8 Rent Assistance Program and for public housing.
If you have a large family, the City currently has a large number of three, four, five and six bedroom homes available for rent.
Existing homeowners can learn about homeowner assistance programs available through the City. The City has a free paint program and funds for emergency home repairs. Some repairs eligible under this program include: plumbing, heating, electrical and roof repairs.
Through workshops and/or visiting with vendors, expo participants can also learn about other low-interest home improvement programs, program available to adapt homes to allow seniors to age in place and landlords can learn about renting their properties through City programs.
Like Hall said, there’s something for everyone.