2000 Best Practice Awards

Best Practice: Rapid City Community Development Corporation Affordable Housing

CDC Provides Affordable Housing to Rapid City Residents

Rapid City. The Rapid City Community Development Corporation (RCCDC) combines the resources of its membership to build affordable housing for first-time homebuyers who have incomes 80 percent or less of the area median. Member organizations include lenders, title companies, credit counseling services, realtors, nonprofits, and the City. The combined resources of members help more people than any single organization could individually. For example, the Rapid City Housing Coalition provides homebuyer education and locates potential buyers, while other members aid buyers in obtaining downpayment assistance. Thus far the program has enabled 12 families (all single parent households) to purchase homes. Low-income families who qualify benefit from the free lots and the zero-interest construction loans arranged by the Corporation. Through a second mortgage, the RCCDC places a deed restriction on the cost of the lot and if the buyer does not sell the home in the first ten years, the full cost of the lot is forgiven.

Contact: Bonnie Hughes, Phone: (605) 394-4181
Tracking Number: 3010
Winning Category: Geographical

Best Practice: The Governor’s House

South Dakota Program Provides Affordable Housing and Vocational Training

Sioux Falls. The Governor’s House program, established in 1996, provides well-built homes to economically-challenged residents, while offering real life vocational training to persons incarcerated in state prisons. The program has a full-scale construction site at the state prison in Springfield, where more than 150 inmates build homes for citizens who might not ever have the opportunity to own their own home. Initially, the program targeted the elderly and disabled. However, with the recent changes in guidelines, the program was expanded to all state residents who can meet income eligibility requirements. More than 500 families, seniors, single parents and low-income individuals live in new homes as a direct result of the Governor’s House program. The goal is to help another 250 families this year and another 250 families in 2001.

Contact: Michael Keating, Phone: (605) 773-4132
Tracking Number: 2034
Winning Category: Program (Community Builders)

Best Practice: Heartland House

Transitional Housing Program Provides Shelter and Supportive Services for Homeless Families with Children

Sioux Falls. Heartland House is a 15-unit transitional housing program for homeless families with children that emphasizes self-sufficiency in moving residents into permanent housing. The program has served more than 50 participant families since its inception, and has removed more than 90 children from a life on the streets or in shelters. Of the 44 families that completed the residential aftercare components of the program, 43 are still in permanent housing and all 43 have worked their way off of Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF), food stamps, and other public support programs. Participants create a self-sufficiency plan upon entering the program and at least one adult of the household has a two-week period upon entry to either find a job or be enrolled in a full-time educational program. Each family is required to attend 24 two-hour classes on basic skills, parenting skills, living skills and other fundamental topics to help them transition into permanent homes.

Contact: Cindy Dannenbring, Phone: (605) 256-6518
Tracking Number: 2780
Winning Category: Geographical

Best Practice: Green Hills I Development

Partnership Provides Affordable Housing to South Dakota Residents

Sioux Falls. The South Dakota Housing Development Authority, Sioux Empire Housing Partnership, Costello Companies, Stencil Construction, Security Mortgage Corporation and Citibank partnered to obtain low-interest financing to acquire and develop land for the construction and sale of affordable single-family homes and lots in Sioux Falls. With cooperation from the City of Sioux Falls, the development authority was able to sell tax-exempt bonds to finance the project, instead of relying on direct government subsidies. By December 1999, 48 affordable homes had been built and sold for $81,500 each, and 40 lots were sold at $14,500 as affordable home sites. Phase II of the program began in Spring 2000. Because of this program, lower-income homebuyers are able to obtain affordable housing with built-in equity, minimal closing costs and small downpayments. Furthermore, monthly payments are greatly reduced because mortgage loans are uninsured, low-interest, first-time homebuyer loans.

Contact: Darlys Baum, Thomas Costellow, and Jim Schmidt, Phone: (605) 773-5157
Tracking Number: 608
Winning Category: Program (Single Family Housing)

Content Archived: April 20, 2011