College Hill Vision
A sustainable, equitable future for one of Topeka's most historic neighborhoods
About College Hill
College Hill is one of Topeka's oldest and most distinctive neighborhoods, known for its historic architecture, tree-lined streets, and proximity to Washburn University. With homes dating back to the early 1900s, this area represents an important piece of Topeka's architectural and cultural heritage.
Threats to Our Neighborhood
College Hill currently faces critical challenges that threaten its historic character and affordability:
- Property Speculation: Investors purchasing homes solely to flip them at inflated prices, making them unaffordable for many families
- High-Density Redevelopment: Pressure to convert single-family homes into duplexes or multiplexes, threatening to alter the neighborhood's historic character
- Conversion to Rentals: The increasing shift from owner-occupied homes to rental properties, reducing long-term neighborhood investment
- Loss of Historic Character: Renovations that fail to respect the architectural heritage of the area
Without intervention, these forces threaten to fundamentally alter the character and accessibility of College Hill. The Topeka Community Land Trust will work to counter these trends by strategically acquiring properties and ensuring they remain owner-occupied, historically appropriate, and permanently affordable.
Our Path to Owner-Occupied Middle Housing
The Topeka Community Land Trust will create a pathway to ownership for the "missing middle" housing in College Hill—small homes and historic properties that provide affordable options.
Our Action Plan
We will proactively work to identify middle housing as it comes onto the market which are at a risk of being lost to speculation or conversion to high-density rentals. By preserving these homes for owner-occupants, we maintain the historic character of College Hill while creating affordable homeownership opportunities for moderate-income residents.
Each property we save becomes part of a permanently affordable housing stock that helps College Hill remain a diverse, vibrant neighborhood where residents have a true stake in their community.
Example Project
1419 SW Boswell Ave
Topeka, KS 66604 | Appraised Value: $137,150
Subsidized Sale Price: Approximately $120,000 for qualified owner-occupants
Project Goals
- Preserve historic character while making necessary improvements
- Keep renovation costs low to maintain affordability
- Secure an owner-occupant rather than an investor or landlord
- Prevent speculative price inflation in the neighborhood
Preservation Strategy
Our approach will focus on maintaining the historic elements that gives this property its unique character while making minimal improvements needed for safety and livability. By keeping remodeling costs modest, we ensure the final purchase price remains accessible to moderate-income buyers.
Community Benefit
By acquiring this property through the community land trust model, we prevent speculative purchasing that would drive up neighborhood prices and limit who can afford to live in College Hill. The land trust ensures permanent affordability while allowing an owner-occupant to build equity and put down roots in this historic neighborhood.
Our Promise to College Hill
The Topeka Community Land Trust will be committed to working respectfully within the existing fabric of College Hill, honoring its history while ensuring it remains a vibrant, diverse, and affordable neighborhood for generations to come.
Our Community Land Trust model ensures that wealth stays within the community rather than being extracted by outside investors. By maintaining land ownership collectively while enabling individual home ownership, we create a sustainable cycle where housing affordability and community prosperity grow together.
Together, we can preserve College Hill's unique character while ensuring it remains a neighborhood where people from different walks of life can put down roots and build community.