Housing on Kansas Main Streets

By Robert McLaughlin

We all have heard the news about the housing shortage this country faces. With the influx of many new industries into Kansas, the crisis may be becoming acute in some Kansas communities! Kansas Main Street has been promoting the idea of reactivating upstairs housing and looking for infill opportunities in our Historic Downtown Districts and in Main Street Communities in particular. We have hosted two Upstairs Downtown workshops and Governor Laura Kelly has championed the idea.

Emporia has led the way and put these ideas into play. The attached article from Main Street America presents the Emporia Baldwin Motor Company Lofts, a mixed-use housing project, as well as seven other Main Street housing case studies. It is recommended reading for any community thinking of downtown housing projects.

At Home on Main Street: A Housing Guidebook for Local Leaders

If you would like to discuss potential upper-floor downtown housing or downtown infill housing, please reach out to Kansas Main Street Design Specialist Robert McLaughlin at (785) 250-9527 or robert.j.mclaughlin@ks.gov.

IT'S A BIG DEAL: Nominate an outstanding under-30 Kansan!

NextGen Under 30 Kansas recognizes individuals who demonstrate talent, drive, and service to their communities.

The Kansas Department of Commerce is looking for any young adult doing amazing things in Kansas who is 30 years old anytime in 2023, or younger. The NextGen Under 30 mission is to identify and honor these very talented young adults, to encourage them to follow their lifetime family and career goals in Kansas. Nominate someone you think is doing a great job. There are 27 categories. Deadline to nominate is July 28, 2023.

National Small Business Week Virtual Summit

Join us May 2 – May 3, 2023, for the National Small Business Week Virtual Summit hosted by the U.S. Small Business Administration and SCORE.



Attend this free, virtual summit to learn new business strategies, meet other business owners and chat with industry experts! This 2-day, action-packed event will include educational sessions, online business resources, and expert speakers.

We’re focusing on revitalizing community spaces in towns with 50,000 people or less. Submit a proposal for a town project of your choice, and if selected, use the funds to get started. For example, you could implement tech upgrades at your library, refresh a local park, or break ground on a new place where neighbors can connect. With our Hometown Grant program, we’re investing big in small towns by awarding up to 100 towns a year with project funding—up to $50,000 each. Open now until Friday, June 30.

Native Arts Roundtable

10 a.m.-2 p.m., April 29, 2023

The Native Arts Roundtable at ArtsConnect in Topeka is open to native Kansas artists and Native-serving organizations to come together and identify and develop strategies for a more vibrant and engaged Indigenous arts community statewide.