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The city of Lawrence launched a community housing survey to engage with the public during its second affordable housing study.
The city's previous affordable housing study was conducted in 2018. Between 2018 and 2025, home prices grew 23 times faster than incomes in Lawrence, according to the city.
The survey's questions range from housing goals to how much income residents are spending on housing and how accessible housing options are for those with disabilities.
The affordable housing study aims to better understand unique housing challenges for populations like students, renters and historically marginalized residents, according to the city.
The city says its housing market is "stuck" with a 69% increase in the median home sales price compared to a three-percent increase in incomes since 2018.
“We live in Lawrence, so you know, all of us can kind of see in our personal lives how difficult it is to afford the cost of housing here," said Lea Roselyn, the city's affordable housing administrator.
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Between 2018 and 2025, the median sales price for a home grew by 67% in the United States compared to 69% in Lawrence, according to the Lawrence's Affordable Housing Advisory Board. Lawrence's median rental costs grew by 33%, while the United States saw a 21% increase, per the advisory board.
“We know since then, prices have exploded and people’s ability to earn has not," said Rebecca Buford, the executive director of Lawrence nonprofit Tenants to Homeowners.
During that same time, the United States median household income rose by 35% while Lawrence's median household incomes grew by only 3%.
“That’s really the problem here is that hard-working people with good jobs do not make enough to finance the average cost of housing here," Buford said.
The federal government considers housing affordable when it consumes less than 30% of a household's income.
Lawrence's most-recent data shows 49% of renters and 16% of homeowners are burdened with housing costs. The city says the number of residents feeling this burden is growing.
“We really want to hear from our community and get as many local voices as possible to let us know how our community is impacted by the growing housing unaffordability," Roselyn said.
Both Roselyn and Buford are encouraging residents to take the city's survey.
“Data is so necessary, and I think in our efforts, I really respect the city for saying we need new data to really be able to demonstrate the needs and the gaps," Buford said.
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