Bishop pleased at progress, interest in Homestead project

With contractors preparing to pour concrete for the foundations of the duplexes and four-plexes that will make up the Prairie View Senior Residences complex at the southern edge of Holton, Homestead Affordable Housing president and CEO Tom Bishop is proud to note the project’s progress.

“It’s coming along,” Bishop said of ground preparation work for the 32-unit housing complex for senior citizens. “We’ve got most of the grading done and the building pad sites are now mostly in place. We’re getting ready to start pouring the foundations and putting the concrete in the ground.”

Bishop is also pleased at the interest that’s been shown so far for the senior housing complex, noting that 28 applications have been received for the 32 units, which are expected to be ready in early 2016. The housing complex is being built at the intersection of First Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, just north of Countryside Park.

“We’ve got people on a waiting list,” he said. “We’re waiting to process their applications.”

Some of the new complex’s prospective residents are also showing an interest in the construction progress that goes beyond being ready to move in.

“I have a number of folks that I see regularly,” Bishop said. “They go down there daily or a couple of times a week, or they drive by, and they take their own little tour. I’ve had one fellow tell me that he was my ‘sidewalk superintendent’… it’s been really nice to have that kind of interest.”

Ground was broken in January for construction of Prairie View Senior Residences, a complex that promises to be a high-quality, energy-efficient residence for its eventual residents. Plans are for the complex to be built as 10 duplexes and three four-plexes, it was reported.

Each of the 32 units is designed with modern appliances, senior-friendly amenities, a concrete safe room and a private entry with a porch area, with some of the units designed to have a single-car garage and a private patio, Bishop said. It was reported that the complex will also have a community center that features exercise equipment, a computer center with internet access, a library and an activity area to encourage seniors to stay active.

Local, state and federal resources — including $5.6 million in housing revenue bonds approved by the Holton City Commission — are being used to build the complex, it was reported.

Interest in the “Building Home” program, in which prospective, low-income homebuyers are encouraged to build and own their own homes, is also good at this point, since homes are expected to be built near the Prairie View complex, Bishop said. Ground surveys, site plans and elevations are being finalized for construction of the homes, which will be built along First Street.

The “Building Home” program is funded through the USDA Rural Development Mutual Self-Help Housing program, providing opportunities to support families who cooperatively build their own homes in building groups to reduce costs. The program enables working families to reduce the cost of building their own home through “sweat equity,” it was reported.

“I think we’re at three families, maybe four, and we’re getting ready to start our first group,” Bishop said. “We’re still looking for families, but I think we’re at a point where Rural Development is going to say, ‘Go ahead and get started with the three you have, and hopefully you’ll have a couple more by the time you finish all the preliminary processing and getting the house plans approved and the appraisals done.”

The Housing Assistance Council has also recently awarded Homestead a $54,000 grant to help cover infrastructure and lot costs on the first seven lots involved in the “Building Home” program, Bishop noted.

“For all of those families that are going to be in this first group with the first seven lots, this basically reduces their cost by about $8,000 a house,” he said. “Now is a real good time to get involved with this program. If there’s anyone who’s thought about it, but they just haven’t decided to cross our door yet, this would be a real good time.”

Prospective homeowners may be eligible for the “Building Home” program if they are willing to dedicate time to work on their home and the homes of others participating in the program in their spare time, meet minimum credit score requirements, have stable employment and job history, meet income requirements and have a strong commitment to own and build their own home.

More information on Prairie View Senior Residences and the “Building Home” program may be found at www.homesteadks.org or by calling the Homestead office in Holton at 364-0110.