By ALIN HETT
Hays Post
Commissioners approved a resolution supporting DP Management’s application for a $750,000 Moderate Income Housing (MIH) grant for Victory Village on East 22nd.
The proposed development would include 120 market-rate apartments near 22nd Street and Wheatland Avenue in Hays.
Brian Reilly, DP Management president, said the grant would help fill a financing gap for the project.
Plans include a pool and a clubhouse, along with on-site management and maintenance staff.
Neal Younger, Ellis County commissioner, asked Reilly if the staff would be local or brought in from Nebraska.
Reilly responded with one word: local.
Some units would have income restrictions under the state’s moderate-income housing program. Reilly also made sure to let commissioners know that the apartment complex will be pet friendly.
“It’s not an apartment complex or an apartment project, It’s an apartment community,” Reilly said.
Darin Myers, county administrator, said this housing complex will fit a different niche than some other recent developments.
"I think every type of housing development that comes in impacts the market and the availability of homes throughout any community that it goes into," Myers said. "This is Moderate Income Housing, so there is variation of what type of units that are going to be available for cost levels for different families."
Myers also spoke about why this decision came to the county rather than the city.
"The reason why this came to the county with DP Management is the city of Hays also has a [Moderate Income Housing] grant application," Myers said. "I believe PWC is doing a similar thing up by Felten Elementary school and they're using there [Moderate Income Housing] grant there. Any city or municipality can only have one [Moderate Income Housing] grant application submitted at one time."
Myers said that the amenities Victory Village will offer will also be something new to Hays.
"It's a different type of community," Myers said. "Hays doesn't really have a community like this, a residential community where it's kind of one little circle type area.
"It's got its own clubhouse, its own swimming pool, and it's pet friendly. It's got its own animal park in there which is going to attract a different type of crowd too, and I think when you combine all that stuff together, it makes it pretty attractive."
To increase attractiveness, Reilly also said DP Management offers only first-class treatment and that each kitchen countertops will have either granite or quartz.
Reilly also showed commissioners a layout of a similar apartment community his company built in Nebraska called Victory Village of Norfolk. He said the project demonstrates the design and amenities DP Management hopes to bring to Hays.
"We're legitimate and have got the experience and the ability to actually do this project and to do it right," Reilly said.
The county will serve as the grant applicant and oversee compliance, but no county funding is being requested.
DP Management also will provide a personal guarantee and assume the project’s obligations. Grow Hays first presented the grant request and development proposal to commissioners last week.