Hillsboro housing complex to celebrate opening
Staff writer
A $9.2 million housing development years in the making will celebrate its grand opening Friday in Hillsboro.
Mennonite Housing Rehabilitation Services will have a ribbon cutting for its 24-unit Orchard Ridge development at 10 a.m. at 815 Orchard Grove.
Residents have been moving in since March.
Five units are occupied, four more applicants have been approved, and Mennonite Housing is about halfway through filling the development, director of property development Byron Adrian said.
Roughly 40 names are on a waiting list, but not everyone will qualify or complete the application process, Adrian said.
“We’re still taking names to make sure that we get it filled out just as soon as possible,” he said.
Orchard Ridge has eight two-bedroom and 16 three-bedroom units. Two-bedroom rents range from $340 to $780 a month. Three-bedroom rents start at $440. Rates vary according to what applicants qualify for.
Units are available to households making no more than 80% of area median income.
Orchard Ridge grew from talks between Hillsboro and Mennonite Housing.
Former city administrator Matt Stiles, who served on Mennonite Housing’s board, approached the organization about developing housing in Hillsboro, Adrian said.
“They had done several housing studies over the years and determined that their shortage of quality housing was hindering economic development,” Adrian said.
The city and Mennonite Housing considered senior housing before settling on workforce housing. A market study found sufficient demand for the project.
“The way we’re able to make this affordable is with the tax credits,” Adrian said.
Investors purchase credits, allowing Mennonite Housing to reduce the project’s debt.
The city donated land for Orchard Ridge in December 2023.
Tax credits awarded through Kansas Housing Resources Corp. provided the primary financing, Adrian said. It also provided $1.55 million. Mennonite Housing expects to carry a mortgage of roughly $100,000.
Hillsboro established a reinvestment housing incentive district for the development in April 2025.
The project drew concerns from property owner Tony Hill, who worried its street and drainage design could worsen flooding on neighboring property.
Engineer Darin Neufeld and Adrian said plans were designed to prevent runoff from affecting neighboring properties.
Council members approved the development, and ground was broken in July, 2025.
The development came in on budget and essentially on schedule despite weather delays, Adrian said.
“It’s been a housing need, and we’re thrilled to provide that for them,” he said.
All buildings are complete. Landscaping, sod, and sprinkler work are expected to be finished by the end of August.