RAPID CITY, S.D. (KELO) –Communities across the Black Hills are receiving 30 million dollars in federal funding to help develop affordable housing.
Senator Mike Rounds, the Ellsworth Development Authority and Black Hills Area Community Foundation worked together to secure the money.
Affordable housing is an issue across KELOLAND.
Now, there’s help for Western South Dakota.
“The $30 Million congressionally spending request that he was instrumental in helping us get, so that we can have $30 Million here to help fund loans that are flexible and below interest to develop affordable housing here across the Black Hills,” Director of Strategic Housing BHACF Greg Litton said.
For Ellsworth Air Force base, these funds will be used for off-base housing.
“Because it’s great to have the airmen and their families out in the community in projects and buildings that are paying property tax. So it’ll be an opportunity to support developers and give them the ability to provide affordable units for our military families,” SD Ellsworth Development Authority Executive Director Scott Landguth said.
The Black Hills Area Community Foundation is also looking to help out surrounding areas.
“We also realize that if one of our neighboring communities is negatively impacted, that can actually grow into a larger problem for several communities. So the more that we can help and work with different cities and communities to get some of their housing addressed, that’s going to be a benefit to everyone,” Litton said.
For the base, these funds will help create affordable housing for the soldiers and airmen stationed there. This is an issue all across the United States.
“Especially over the last few years with the increase of prices and everything but across the country. Anything we can do locally to create an environment where we have some more affordable housing and give more opportunities for our airmen and their families,” Landguth said.
Outside of Pennington County, Belle Fourche, Deadwood-Lead, Spearfish, Sturgis, Hill City, Hot Springs and Custer will also see part of these funds.
