Makenzie Huber, South Dakota Searchlight
A state board awarded over $10.5 million in federal funding at its Tuesday meeting to help rehabilitate or construct affordable housing in South Dakota.
The developments received $3.33 million in Housing Tax Credits, $4.27 million in HOME Investment Partnership Program funds and $2.93 million in Housing Trust Funds.
Housing is considered affordable in South Dakota when residents have to pay no more than 30% of income for costs such as rent or mortgage and utilities, according to state law. The projects awarded incentivize expansion of affordable housing for low-income South Dakotans.
There were more applications than available money. Fifteen applicants requested over $10 million for the tax credit program, $13.7 million for the HOME program and $8.7 million in trust funds, staff said during the meeting.
Projects that applied but weren’t awarded funding by the South Dakota Housing Development Authority Board are located in Rapid City, Frederick, Aberdeen, Vermillion, Spearfish and Sioux Falls.
Six projects received $761,500 in state funding through the Housing Opportunity Fund, which is an affordable housing program for South Dakota residents.
The awarded housing developments include:
- Ashbrook Trail Apartments is a new construction apartment building for seniors in Mitchell. The development includes 41 units for low-income residents while five will be market rate. The board approved the project for $1 million in a HOME loan, $600,000 in a Housing Trust Fund loan and $727,594 in Housing Tax Credits.
- Denver Terrace Apartments is a rehabilitation project of a 34-unit 1972 apartment building in north Rapid City. The board approved the project for $725,000 in a HOME loan, $584,000 in a Housing Trust Fund loan and $733,000 in Housing Tax Credits.
- Foss Flats Senior Apartments is a 44-unit new construction project to house seniors in Sioux Falls. The board approved the project for $1 million in a HOME loan, $600,000 in a Housing Trust Fund loan and $740,000 in Housing Tax Credits.
- Homes Are Possible, Inc. will construct 11 single family homes in Aberdeen. Funds will be used as homebuyer assistance for applicants. The board approved $220,000 in a Housing Opportunity Fund loan.
- Black Hills Area Habitat for Humanity received approval for $96,525 in a Housing Opportunity Fund loan to construct a single family home in Rapid City.
- LifeScape Carter Home is a duplex to house eight individuals with special needs in Sioux Falls. The board approved the project for $544,664 in a HOME loan and $544,664 in a Housing Trust Fund loan.
- LifeScape Churchill Home is the construction of a 12-bedroom group home for special needs housing in Sioux Falls. The board awarded $73,500 in a Housing Opportunity Fund loan to the project.
- Presentation Heights is a rehabilitation project turning a former college dorm built in 2013 into 45 housing units. The project received approval for $1 million in a HOME loan, $600,000 in a Housing Trust Fund loan and $384,527 in Housing Tax Credits. Five units will be market rate.
- Rosholt Governor House builds a single family home in Rosholt. The board approved the project for $120,000 in a Housing Opportunity Fund loan.
- South Eastern Development Foundation Workforce Housing Program is a new construction project of 10 single family homes in Sioux Falls. Funds received will be used as homebuyer assistance to reduce the cost burden to the homebuyers. The board approved the project for $114,000 in a Housing Opportunity Fund loan.
- Southeastern Behavioral Apartments is a mixed-use development in central-Sioux Falls with 55 housing units and offices for mental health services on the ground level. The board approved funding for $740,000 in Housing Tax Credits.
- Habitat for Humanity of Greater Sioux Falls received approval for $114,000 in a Housing Opportunity Fund loan to construct a twin home, serving two families.