Abandoned Housing Program
The Abandoned Housing Program uses a two-pronged approach to create affordable housing; rehabbing vacant homes and constructing new homes on vacant lots. CHAD accepts donations of vacant homes, rehabilitates them with the help of local volunteers and contractors, and places them back into the community as quality housing. There are multiple advantages to approaching housing development by renovating vacant homes:
It is less expensive to rehab an existing structure than build new construction.
Neighborhood stabilization. The renovation of older homes not only improves the quality of the neighborhood, but also removes blight and reduces crime that comes with vacant houses.
Rehabilitating abandoned housing puts property back onto the tax role, which in many cases has sat vacant for several years.
By using MIH funds, CHAD is not restricted to serving only very-low income households, making the transfer to ownership a viable option due to higher income levels. This enables us to target the highest housing needs for working households in the local industry. This is a true benefit to our economic base by serving the employees of local businesses.
We also partner with the Dodge City Community College Building Construction Technology Program (DCCC) to construct affordable housing on vacant lots. This partnership allows the students to gain hands-on experience by building homes. It not only brings into play different construction techniques, but also teaches energy efficiency, code compliance and working conditions, while allowing them to experience community development in the process. This program meets the training requirements for the Building Construction Technology Program curriculum and helps build our future workforce. Our commitment to build the new homes as an infill in existing blighted neighborhoods helps complete the neighborhood and encourage the neighboring owners to improve their homes and yards.
CHAD has previously rehabbed eight homes, two are rentals and six were sold to moderate-income families. CHAD and the DCCC Building Trades Program has previously built two new homes and a duplex, totaling four units, all sold to moderate-income families. We currently have a duplex under construction and two homes currently being rehabbed.
Contact Mollea at (620)227-9501 or molleaw@dodgedev.org for more information.