Pittsburg’s CHIP program has begun construction on its first ten affordable homes. An open house on Nov. 23 invites residents and buyers to tour three sites. The program offers grants to builders who complete and sell homes to income qualified buyers.
The City of Pittsburg announced progress on its City Housing Incentive Program, known as CHIP, which launched in early 2025 to address the region’s need for additional affordable housing. After less than one year of implementation, the first ten homes supported through the program have moved into the construction phase. City officials scheduled an open house for November 23 from 3 to 5 p.m., inviting community members and potential homebuyers to tour several of the initial properties. These homes are located at 313 East Park Street, 306 East Adams Street, and 210 East Adams Street. The announcement originated from a City of Pittsburg public release.
Kim Froman, Director of Housing and Community Development, noted the role of community partnerships in advancing the effort to increase the supply of attainable single family homes. CHIP was introduced through a collaboration between the City of Pittsburg, Crawford County, and USD 250 Board of Education, establishing a framework that aligns public sector entities with private builders to support new residential construction.
The program functions as an incentive model that provides grants to licensed contractors once a single family home has been completed, sold, and verified as purchased by a qualifying buyer. Income eligibility is based on low to moderate income thresholds defined by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The program’s design ties funding directly to the sale of the home to ensure that the final product contributes to affordability goals rather than speculative construction.
Participating partners involved in building or development activities include Level Playing Field, BLC Construction, J & M Developers, Wilson Builders, Building Health Inc., and the Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas. These organizations represent a mix of construction providers, developers, and community focused institutions engaged in the initiative.
CHIP awards grant funding equal to ten percent of the construction cost, subject to a cap of twenty thousand dollars per project. The amount is contingent upon available funds at the time of approval. Grant disbursement occurs only after the home has been sold and income verification confirms that the buyer meets the required federal guidelines. This structure is intended to ensure both fiscal accountability and alignment with the program’s objective of supporting affordable housing opportunities.
The city has made additional information available regarding project eligibility and application requirements through its Housing Incentive Program webpage, where contractors and interested parties can access details about participation.