Governor Doyle Announces $4.2 million to Promote Affordable Rental Housing

MADISON, WI – July 23, 2008 – (RealEstateRama) — Governor Jim Doyle today announced grant awards of $4.2 million in Rental Housing Development Grants from the Department of Commerce (Commerce) for development of additional rental housing. The funds support housing project sites in a dozen locations throughout the state.

“One of my top priorities as Governor has been making housing more affordable for Wisconsin families,” Governor Doyle said. “I’m proud that today we are taking important steps forward to help provide new rental housing opportunities for seniors, persons with disabilities and low-income families.”

Today’s announcement was made at an open house ribbon cutting ceremony highlighting an 18-unit elderly housing project in Iola, Waupaca County. The developer and owner, CAP Services, Inc. has been highly successful in constructing affordable housing throughout its north central Wisconsin service area. CAP Services, Inc. is one of the state’s 16 community action agencies responsible for administering a variety of anti-poverty programs and initiatives.

The Iola project, which received $495,000 of HOME funds, will have affordable, cottage-style rental housing in two one-story buildings. CAP Services also received a HOME funding award of $210,000 to develop the Living Oaks Residential Care Apartment Complex in the Village of Iola. This project resulted in the construction of 24 units of senior housing, including eight units targeted to low income individuals.

Other HOME Rental Housing Development funding awards announced today include:

Award: $600,000. County: Washburn. Project Name: Birchwood Family Housing

Indianhead Community Action Agency, Inc. will construct 10 units in five duplexes of low-income family housing. Each unit will feature three bedrooms, one bathroom, kitchen and living room about 1200 square feet of space in each unit.

Award: $504,000. County: Clark. Project Name: Thorp Family Housing

Indianhead Community Action agency will construct eight units in four duplexes of low-income family housing.

Award: $413,000. County: Pierce. Project Name: Spring Valley White Cedar Development

West Central Wisconsin Community Action Agency, Inc. is supporting the construction of 11 units of a 20-unit residential care apartment complex . The developer is White Cedar Development, LLC. The facility will provide a combination of affordable housing, meals and support services for elderly persons. Eleven of the units will be reserved for individuals at or below low-income levels.

Award: $184,000. County: Shawano. Project Name: Shawano Special Needs Housing Development

The project, sponsored by Movin’ Out, involves an acquisition and rehabilitation of a property to provide two low income housing units for persons relocating from an institutional setting.

Award: $236,500. County: Chippewa, Project Name: Hotel Northern Rehabilitation Project

Common Bonds Communities is providing substantial rehabilitation and refinancing of a senior rental apartment building located in downtown Chippewa Falls. The improvements to the property will result in greater energy efficiency, livability, sustainability and accessibility. At least 10 units will be available to very low income tenants. The Hotel Northern building, developed in 1919, is part of the Bridge Street Historic District.

Award: $260,000. County: Outagamie. Project Name: Villas of Combined Locks

National Church Residences and Keystone Development are constructing a 24-unit senior apartment property offering one- and two-bedroom, single-story apartment homes with attached garages and individual entrances. Seven units are targeted for low income residents.

Award: $495,000. County: Adams. Project Name: Morris Park Senior Village

Central Wisconsin Community Action Council, Inc. plans to develop 22 units of senior rental housing in partnership with CAP Services in Adams. Morris Park Senior Village will offer single-story residences in three buildings. All units will be cottage-style, two-bedroom units with individual attached garages and separate outside entrances. At least 10 units will be available for low-income persons.

Award: $368,920. County: Juneau. Project Name: Wood Hollow Apartments

This project in Necedah involves the construction of a six-unit apartment building consisting of four three-bedroom units and two two-bedroom units for households with extremely low to very low incomes. Both two-bedroom units will be designed to accommodate physically-handicapped as well as the sensory-impaired persons.

Award: $70,000. County: Oconto. Project Name: Community Housing Project #5

NEWCAP, Inc. is planning to build a fully-accessible duplex for low-income, physically-disabled elderly persons on a vacant site in Oconto. Each unit will have one bedroom, NEWCAP and the local high school building construction class will construct the duplex.

Award: $359,616, County: Douglas. Project Name: Golden Apartments

Superior Golden Apartments is an 84-unit building serving senior and disabled adults in Superior. The proposed renovation will make mechanical, safety, aesthetic, and accessibility upgrades. The HOME funds will enable 11 units to be deeply subsidized.

The HOME Rental Housing Development Program helps local developers increase the stock of affordable rental units. The rental units are leased to persons who have low and very low incomes. The awards allow rental property owners to cover a portion of the construction costs and other development expenses.

For further information about this program, contact Jim Frymark, Commerce, Bureau of Local Development, at 608/266-2742, or jim.frymark (at) wi (dot) gov.