The Historic Homes District

"The Best in the Middle West"
Veterans Quindaro Homes, Inc.
(circa 1946)

In 1998, The Homes, Inc.'s residents celebrated the district's 50th birthday. Much has happened in the 60 years The Homes, Inc. has been a cooperative housing association. One thing remains the same: it is "a nice place to live".

The original residential area included the present 84 acres and the Fairfax Elementary School on North 10th Street in the old Quindaro Township - annexed to the city in 1886. The government built the initial 350 units in 1941 for the war workers of the North American Aviation Corporation. The General Motors Plant now stands on the B-25 bomber plant grounds, on Fairfax Trafficway. In the years following World War II's end, returning soldiers - especially with

families - found a drastic shortage of housing. The Quindaro Veterans' Homes filled quickly, with a waiting list of over 800 applicants.

In 1946, the U. S. government declared the subdivision "surplus". A group of residents formed a non-profit corporation, sold 350 shares and debenture bonds to buy the community for $1,047,044 in 1948. Individual units were appraised for $3,350 to $4,250. The now-private corporation was renamed "The Quindaro Homes, Inc." Monthly maintenance payments ranged from $34 for a 1-bedroom home to $38 for 3 bedrooms. A bargain then, The Homes is still a bargain. Homes range from $4,500 to $22,000 with maintenance payments of $155 for 1 bedroom to $165 for 3 bedrooms.

For many years, there was a general store located near the present office, clubroom, and credit union. Shortly after the privatization of The Homes, the land and building for Fairfax Elementary were sold to Kansas City KS for $1.00. In 1952, resident Bob Eades started the Quindaro Homes Federal Credit Union - collecting $.25 each pay day to fund each person's share account - for the purchase of shares in the corporation. During the construction of K-5 in the 1970s, 5 units were torn down. This left The Homes, Inc. with its present arrangement of 345 units on 8 streets. As recently as 2004, there were still a few original residents living in The Homes. The community's name was changed to "The Homes, Inc." in 1991 to reflect officially its widely-used nickname.

The homes were originally wooden-sided, which was replaced with tinted steel siding in 1973. New roofs were installed in 1994, and new guttering throughout was completed in 2004. New roofs are planned in the next 5 years, and exterior painting is currently in progress.

Since its beginning, The Homes, Inc. has been run by a 5-member Board of Directors. Originally, there was an elected advisory board, with the number of directors ranging from 10 to 25. These advisory board members were elected from various "districts" within the subdivision. Meetings were held in the lodge building across from the Big-Eleven Lake, at 11th Street and State Avenue. Each member is, and always has been, a volunteer and a resident, elected for 2-year staggered terms at annual March elections by all stockholders. The Board of Directors, in turn, hires the Manager, who directs the actual operation of the community. The Homes, Inc. has its own professional maintenance staff.

While The Homes, Inc. is run as a business, its main focus is the close to 500 people who live here. People are what make The Homes, Inc. an extraordinary residential choice. Neighbors become friends and friends move here to become neighbors. Children grow up - and buy homes here to raise their own children. Our monthly newsletter lets each of us know what's going on in our community. A history of The Homes, Inc. is a history of ordinary people, living through out-of-the-ordinary times.

"The Homes - A Nice Place to Live"