Building Innovation for Homeownership
Award Winners: South Dakota

PROJECT: Rosebud Reservation Housing, Mission, South Dakota

SUBMITTER: Joel Schurke, WRITAR, St. Paul, Minnesota

PROJECT DESCRIPTION: This project is an attempt to place the provision of affordable housing back into the hands of the Native Americans who will live in it. The Rosebud Reservation has engaged a number of collaborators to help design and construct affordable housing that is energy efficient, sustainable, and reflects the beliefs and traditions of this native people. Design workshops were conducted on the reservation to examine the tradition of Native American housing and how assistance could be made more responsive to the population. A design for a �core� house of 575 square feet was developed, that could be built for approximately $11,000. The core could be added to over time as the family�s resources improve, and much of the construction would be self-help. A strategy to use materials from existing derelict housing would reduce the cost of construction and enhance sustainablility. Passive solar techniques would be used to improve energy performance. Other building technologies studied include rammed earth and straw bales. Norwest Bank has expressed its commitment to offer matching grants to aid construction material purchase, and there has also been support through the various members of the nonprofit housing coalition.

PROJECT PARTICIPANTS: Rosebud Housing Coalition (Cheryl Crazy Bull, executive director); WRITAR (Joel Schurke); Center for Resourceful Building Technology (Tracy Mumma, Steve Loken, Dale McCormick); University of Oklahoma, College of Architecture (Katharine Leigh, Thane Magelky, Antonio Cooper); US Environmental Protection Agency Region 8 (David Wann); Rosebud housing Authority (Monica Larvie, Ken Haukaas); American Indian Council for Architects and Engineers (Burke Wyatt); Norwest Bank South Dakota, N.A. (Kermit Grimshaw).