Home - Yes I Am Home!
– By #MillerSD
On Hand Development has been knee deep in housing this past fall. At our Strategic Planning session a year ago in November, one of the housing goals was to place at least one Governor’s House in Miller and now 13 months later, we have two Governor’s Houses under our belt. It’s exciting to see the interest in Governor’s Houses and to learn about the program and what it can do for the community.
The Governor’s House Program was started in 1996 putting prison inmates to work learning marketable skills for life after prison while at the same time providing affordable, energy efficient, low maintenance homes to those who may otherwise not be able to afford one. The first homes were referred to as “cottages” and were limited to those 62 and older with no restrictions on income or assets. They had 1 bedroom and 672 sq. ft. Over the years, the houses evolved to two and three bedroom homes with 1,008 and 1,200 sq ft. respectively. As of Nov. 2017, there have been 2,640 homes sold and placed in every county and virtually every city in SD! A Governor’s house usually serves as a great starter home for young families but can just as easily be used as a retirement home that is easy to maintain.
The homes come with oak kitchen and bath cabinets, electric or gas forced air heat, vinyl lap siding, windows with .27U-value insulated glass, 2 x 6 exterior wall construction with R-21 batt insulation and R7.5 x XPS foam sheathing. The homes are eligible for Energy STAR Certification if the owner chooses. The price (includes delivery and placement) is $44,700 for the two bedroom and $51,700 for the three bedroom homes.
In order to purchase a Governor’s Home, buyers must income qualify. To qualify, household income cannot exceed $48,300 for couples or individuals and $55,200 for families of three or more. For families and individuals under age 62, net worth must be less than $90,000 and less than $70,000 in liquid assets. For families and individuals 62 and older, net worth must be less than $175,000 and less than $100,000 in liquid assets. The house must be used as the homebuyer's only residence and must be placed within South Dakota and owned by the individual living in the home.
The end result? Families moving into our area – filling our schools, filling job vacancies, providing necessary services to our community and bringing fresh new life to our town! If you are interested in learning more,contact Tammy Caffee at On Hand Development Corporation @ 853-3098.
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