‘Pope Leo Village’ transforms vacant Kansas properties into affordable homes

A housing initiative inspired by Pope Leo XIV’s call to serve others is transforming eight formerly vacant properties in Wichita, Kansas, into affordable homes for local families.

Pope Leo Village, an initiative of Wichita Habitat for Humanity, will eventually become home to eight families participating in the organization’s path to homeownership. The future homeowners will work alongside volunteers on the properties before purchasing their completed homes with affordable, zero-interest mortgages, according to Wichita Habitat.

The project began with support from an anonymous donor who sought to honor Pope Leo and encourage others to serve their communities, the organization reported. Work on the eight homes began in July.

In a Sept. 10 press release, Danielle Johnson, executive director of Wichita Habitat, pointed to the role volunteers will play.

“By stepping forward to hammer, paint, and serve alongside our future homebuyers, you are putting faith into action,” Johnson said.

Among the future homeowners is Mallory Collette, who works in the construction industry and said affordable housing had remained difficult to find, according to a Sept. 16 diocesan report.

“I want to provide a safe, stable foundation for my son,” Collette said. “I have worked multiple jobs over a year to make this happen, but finding a true, affordable home has always been a challenge.”

Father John Jirak, vicar general of the Diocese of Wichita, blessed the local project Sept. 10 and pointed to the importance of the home in the life of the family.

“The Domestic Church is made up of persons,” he said. “It also requires a dignified place to live out that life.”

According to the diocesan report, the eight properties are part of Wichita Habitat’s broader revitalization work in northeast Wichita and are expected to be completed in 2027. The local project joins a larger effort involving more than 250 home rehabilitations across 22 U.S. cities.