A mixed residential rental project planned in Olathe aimed at filling a “missing middle” housing gap easily cleared a major hurdle this week.
The Olathe City Council unanimously approved a rezoning request and preliminary site development plan for the prospective Olathe Commons housing development on Tuesday.
The development — which features both single-family homes and townhomes — sits on a 23-acre piece of farmland southwest of 119th and Greenwood streets near the Olathe Pointe Shopping Center.
Though all councilmembers ultimately supported the project, there were a few who voiced their desire to see more projects like this that feature dwelling units available for sale to encourage attainable homeownership.
200+ units planned in Olathe Commons
- A total of 214 units are planned with an average density of nine units per acre.
- The Olathe Commons project includes 60 cottage-court-style single-family homes plus 27 two-story townhome buildings with multiple units each.
- Options would range from two-bedroom to four-bedroom layouts.
- The development will also have a clubhouse, pool, open space and a dog park, and some infrastructure improvements are required, as well.
- PeakMade Real Estate, based in Atlanta, plans to own and manage the property.
- Stephen Furr, vice president of the company’s built-to-rent development division, said on Tuesday that rents would likely be in the $2,000 to $3,000 range.
“Missing middle” housing is the focus of Olathe Commons
Before the Olathe Planning Commission and the city council, Furr stressed that the development is focused on offering attainable, diverse housing toward the middle of the market.
“This is really trying to fill that void,” he told the planning commission in August, noting that the development will offer something between apartment rentals and homeownership.
The staff report for the project also outlined how it would be a “missing middle” housing product.
“Missing middle” housing is more affordable and typically geared toward renters, first-time homebuyers who cannot afford to buy larger single-family homes and residents looking to downsize.
Lists of what constitutes “missing middle” housing vary widely, but they often include smaller starter homes, owner-occupied townhomes and duplexes, among other housing options.
According to a 2021 countywide housing study, these specific types of housing stock are lacking in Johnson County, despite there being a market for it.
Council showed support for addressing housing gaps
While there was support for the effort by this particular developer to address this gap in the housing market, councilmembers Marge Vogt and Robyn Essex both indicated disappointment with the fact that none of these units are expected to be for sale to potential owner-occupiers.
“I know attainable housing is something we hear about, not just affordable, but attainable means ‘I have a chance to purchase something,’” Essex said.
Still, some councilmembers lauded the project for offering a unique housing option in the community.
“I think that not everybody wants to buy a home necessarily, and this meets a particular demographic,” Councilmember LeEtta Felter said. “It’s a meeting in the middle.”
Councilmember Kevin Gilmore was also supportive, calling the project plan “innovative.”
“I think this is meeting a very unique need in our community,” he said.
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