A Place to Begin Again: Why Housing Is the Foundation

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Before someone can focus on their health, their job, their education, or their future, there is a more immediate question that must be answered:

Where will I sleep tonight?

In Kansas, that question is more pressing than many realize.

  • A worker needs to earn $20.87/hour to afford a modest 2-bedroom home.
  • A minimum wage worker earning $7.25/hour can afford just $377/month in rent.
  • Meanwhile, the average rent for a modest 2-bedroom home is $1,085/month.
  • To afford even a 1-bedroom apartment at fair market rent, a minimum wage worker would need to work 94 hours per week.
  • And across the state, 37% of renter households are living below 50% of the Area Median Income, with 21% below 30%.
  • Median rent in Kansas increased about 39% from 2013 to 2023, while minimum wage has remained $7.25 for 16 years

These numbers tell a clear story: Housing is not just a challenge. It is a barrier to stability for thousands of families.

And that is exactly where SENT begins.

Housing Is Not the Goal. It Is the Foundation.

At SENT, housing is not treated as a standalone issue. It is part of a holistic, wraparound model designed to help individuals and families move from crisis to stability to long-term thriving.

Because without stable housing:

  • You cannot consistently attend work
  • You cannot manage chronic health conditions
  • You cannot build financial stability
  • You cannot plan for the future

Housing is the starting point that makes everything else possible. This belief is embedded in SENT’s Strategic Plan: When basic needs like housing are met, individuals gain the stability needed to pursue health, employment, education, and long-term goals.

Fremont Hill: Building More Than Homes

One of the clearest expressions of this vision is the Fremont Hill development.

This is not just a housing project. It is a community-building strategy.

  • A 29-acre development designed to expand housing access
  • Mixed-income housing that reflects the diversity of the community
  • Future phases that include community spaces, recreation, and shared resources

Fremont Hill brings together key developments like:

  • Johnson-Betts Meadows
  • New Heights
  • Future community-centered spaces

These developments are designed with intention: not just to house people, but to create environments where people can stay, grow, and thrive.

Housing stability is not just about having a roof—it is about belonging to a community.

Expanding Access Through New Builds and Net Zero Homes

SENT is also increasing housing supply through:

  • New construction homes
  • Net Zero homes that reduce long-term energy costs. A Net Zero home produces as much energy as it uses, thereby lowering the homeowner’s energy costs.

In a state where housing affordability is already stretched, long-term cost matters.

A family that saves on energy costs:

  • Has more income for food, healthcare, and transportation
  • Is less vulnerable to financial emergencies
  • Can build stability faster

This is how housing becomes more than shelter—it becomes a tool for economic mobility.

Restoring What Already Exists: Renovations and the Curb Appeal Program

Not every solution requires new construction. Sometimes, stability starts with restoring what is already there. Through SENT’s Curb Appeal Program, current homeowners receive support to:

  • Improve the safety and appearance of the exterior of their homes
  • Increase neighborhood pride
  • Strengthen long-term property value

In Kansas, where many families are already cost-burdened, even small investments in housing quality can have a significant impact. Families are more likely to stay. Neighborhoods are more likely to strengthen. Communities begin to transform from within

Meeting People Where They Are: Rent, Ownership, and Navigation

SENT recognizes that housing is not one-size-fits-all. Some families are experiencing homelessness, renting and struggling to stay stable, and/or working toward homeownership. That is why SENT connects individuals and families to:

  • Homeownership resources
  • Rental support pathways
  • Housing partners across the community

This is not just about providing housing—it is about navigating the system alongside people.

Because for many, the barrier is not just availability—it is access, knowledge, and support. Our Neighbor Advocates and Homebuyer Education Seminars can help people access the resources they need to achieve their goals.

Supporting the Most Vulnerable: Homelessness and Immediate Needs

For those experiencing homelessness or housing instability, immediate support matters. SENT works to provide and connect individuals to:

  • Mailboxes for stability and access to services
  • Warming centers during extreme weather
  • Connection to housing pathways and resources

These supports may seem simple, but they are critical. Because before someone can take the next step, they need a place to stand.

Beat the Heat: Housing as Safety

Housing quality is just as important as housing access. In Kansas, where extreme heat disproportionately affects low-income families, medically fragile individuals, and senior citizens living in under-resourced neighborhoods, the ability to stay cool is not a luxury—it is a necessity.

Through the Beat the Heat initiative, families gain access to:

  • Affordable, energy-efficient window air conditioning units

This matters because:

  • Heat is one of the leading weather-related causes of death in the U.S.
  • Low-income households are less likely to have adequate cooling

Housing, in this context, becomes a matter of health and safety.

Listening First: Community Feedback and Pricing Models

SENT’s approach is not built in isolation. It is shaped by the voices of the community.

  • What can families realistically afford?
  • What types of housing are needed most?
  • What barriers exist that data alone cannot show?

By integrating community feedback into pricing and development decisions, SENT ensures that solutions are not just available—but actually accessible.

Why This Work Matters

The Kansas data makes it clear:

  • There is a significant gap between wages and housing costs
  • Median rent in Kansas increased about 39% from 2013 to 2023, while minimum wage has remained $7.25 for 16 years (Based on data from the U.S. Census Bureau and analysis from the Kansas Health Matters and the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City)
  • A large portion of renters are living far below the median income
  • Many families are one unexpected expense away from instability

Housing is not just a policy issue. It is a daily reality that shapes: Health, Opportunity, Family stability, and Community strength

A Model That Holds It All Together

SENT’s housing work is not separate from its other programs. It is deeply connected to:

This is the power of a wraparound model. It recognizes that: People do not experience challenges in isolation, and solutions cannot exist in isolation either.

A Place to Start, A Path Forward

Housing is not the finish line. It is the place where the journey begins. It is where someone can finally take a breath, make a plan, and imagine a future. At SENT, the goal is not just to build houses. It is to build stability, opportunity, and hope—one home, one family, and one neighborhood at a time.

Works Cited

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