HUD's Dollar Home program makes a difference
in Four Idaho communities

Nampa

Former Nampa Mayor Maxine Horn approached a local committee that included faith based organizations, working on homeless issues, and offered a HUD Dollar Home previously purchased by the City of Nampa as a way to support the ongoing operation of the developing family shelter. In a partnership that involved the Episcopal and LDS churches as well as the Salvation Army, the team initiated the process of marketing the home to a low-income family. In support of the project, Home Federal Savings & Loan loaned money to remodel the home and subsequently made an affordable loan available to the purchasing family. To assist the homebuyer, the Nampa Ministerial Association bought out her previous lease. The $40,000 net gain from this process was included in the operating budget of the new Nampa Homeless Shelter.

Rupert

Rupert purchased a HUD Dollar Home and turned the home over to the Mini-Cassia Center for Women and Children, a heretofore volunteer organization that had housed abused women and children case by case, volunteer house by volunteer house. Upon receiving the HUD Home, the shelter board, which is composed of members from a majority of churches in Minidoka County, commenced incorporating as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. The shelter board hopes to pull in additional grants and donations as they renovate the house and prepare to open its doors to the public.

Silverton & Pinehurst

Shoshone County & Habitat for Humanity cooperated on a project when Shoshone County purchased two HUD Dollar Homes, one in Silverton and one in Pinehurst. The County Commission sought to put them back out to the best use for the community. Habitat for Humanity of the Silver Valley (http://www.hfhidaho.org/) was identified as the organization with the best resources to remodel the homes and put them in the hands of deserving low-income families. Habitat, using donated resources, put a total of $30,000 worth of renovations into the homes (saving the new owners $50,000 in building costs) and has already presented both of the homes to Habitat Families. The County is in the process of purchasing another home in Mullan, perhaps presenting an opportunity to repeat the process.