The affordable housing issue in Sedgwick County extends beyond Wichita into its suburbs, such as Derby. To address affordable housing in Derby, zoning changes have been requested to allow duplex construction in the city. However, some citizens of Derby have not been happy, prompting Derby’s council to ultimately reject a large duplex project last fall. The plans haven’t been brought back up again since. According to notes from Documenter Sharon Ailsilenger, two citizens took the lead in speaking out against the construction of the duplexes during a meeting of the Derby City Council last fall. Before the meeting, a 63-page agenda report on the development was sent to residents of the 55th and Woodlawn neighborhood, where the duplexes are set to be constructed. The citizens, Audrey Goff and Trena Hodges, both live in the neighborhood. During the time they spoke, they each brought up different concerns about the development.
Read more: KLC Journal
