Page 4 - Chas Olson News Today

PIERRE, SD (KELO.com) -- Progress is being made, but there are a lot of steps. That's the message from South Dakota Housing Interim Executive Director...

PIERRE, SD (KELO.com) -- Progress is being made, but there are a lot of steps. That's the message from South Dakota Housing Interim Executive Director...

Its interim director hopes to know by week's end when the South Dakota Housing Development Authority board can have a quorum of members available to hold a public hearing on proposed rules for a new $200 million program to help assist in financing infrastructure for workforce housing.

Grant and loan applications meant for housing infrastructure could be approved as soon as July if rules are approved.

The South Dakota Housing Development Authority is moving forward with proposed rules for spreading the $200 million the Legislature wants spent on affordable housing infrastructure.

In Jeremy Jensen’s eyes, shovels should have already been put into the ground. 

Gov. Kristi Noem is responding to criticisms about the slow rollout of a $200 million dollar housing infrastructure program.

Gov. Kristi Noem said Tuesday that houses would already be built if the $200 million grant and loan program had been done "the original way I wanted it."

"I’ve got to be real positive because it's going to really help us make our project goal if we get a grant,” said Terry Sabers, the president of Mitchell Area Housing, Inc.

The $200 million that South Dakota lawmakers have wanted to spend on affordable housing infrastructure since a year ago probably won't start reaching projects until this fall, at the earliest.