BRITTON RURAL HOUSING PLAYBOOK REGIONAL CONFERENCE
The third in a series of Playbook Regional Conferences was just held in Britton, SD. Thirty four people from South and North Dakota braved the winter weather to participate! Read this story for details.
FIRST RURAL HOUSING PLAYBOOK REGIONAL CONFERENCE HELD IN CENTERVILLE
More than 55 community leaders, elected officials, utility representatives, housing and economic development practitioners, and others were in Centerville, SD on Monday, April 6, 2009 for the first Rural Housing Playbook Regional Conference. The purpose of the conference, sponsored by East River Electric Power Cooperative and the REED Fund, was to introduce communities to the Rural Housing Playbook, a housing development process guide for rural South Dakota communities. Bill Hansen of the Centerville Development Corporation was host for the event held at the Centerville Legion Hall.
The Rural Housing Playbook was created in response to research that revealed communities could benefit from a guide book and process that could be tailored to their individual needs. It encourages communities to approach housing development from a community development and economic development perspective. Rita Edwards, Playbook author and Coordinator of the project, presented an overview of the Playbook. She discussed a new method of helping communities get technical assistance and information about housing development. The method relies on individuals and organizations that volunteer to be paired with communities requesting help.
The group also heard updates about assistance available through new stimulus package opportunities and existing programs. Speakers were Eric Ambroson of Planning and Development District III in Yankton, Sheryl Miller of the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in Sioux Falls, Cindy Dannenbring of Inter-Lakes Community Action Partnership in Madison, and Linda Salmonson of East River Electric and the REED fund in Madison. After a lunch catered by The Centerville Steakhouse, Bill Hansen closed with a presentation about Centerville's housing and economic development accomplishments over the years. The group finished the day with a bus tour of Centerville that included housing and economic development projects and historical highlights, and a stop at the award-winning library for cookies and punch.