The Wichita Eagle reports that the state of Kansas will receive $21 million from the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Neighborhood Stabilization Program to help fight blight caused by abandoned and foreclosed homes.

The money will be used for the state to acquire land and property, demolish or refurbish abandoned properties, and to offer down-payment and closing-cost assistance to low-income homebuyers.
Dale Gray, spokeswoman for HUD’s regional office in Kansas City, Kansas told the paper the state will get its share of the $4 billion HUD is distributing after it signs a grant agreement, which could happen in as soon as 30 days.
The Kansas Department of Commerce and HUD regional and field offices will oversee quarterly reports on the redevelopment activities that have been approved for funding, Brian Sullivan, an official at HUD’s national office, said.
“They have quite a bit of flexibility on what communities get the funding,” Gray added, referring to the oversight states will provide.
Foreclosures are up 155 percent in Kansas, according to RealtyTrac statistics.
Officials from municipalities are still waiting for information from the state on the program’s execution.
Mary Vaughn, the city of Wichita’s director of Housing and Community Services, said, “Our goal will be to improve properties and, thereby, neighborhoods they are in. It is definitely another tool in our campaign to stop blight.”