STAFFORD — Stafford County Economic Development and the Economic Development Housing Committee held a recent groundbreaking for a single-family home at the corner of St. Paul and Prairie Ave. in Stafford. The home will feature three bedrooms, two bathrooms and a basement. Stafford County Eco-Devo also completed a home in Macksville in 2014.
“We are partnering with Housing Opportunities Inc. (HOI) for this project which has an expected completion date of May 2016,” said Carolyn Dunn, Stafford County Economic Development director.
The single-family home is equipped with central heat and air, contain three bedrooms, a large bathroom/laundry room with washer and dryer, a kitchen with a pantry, dining area, comfortable open living room, a full unfinished basement for storage, and a two-car garage with opener and keyless entry. Kitchens include a refrigerator, a stove microwave, a dishwasher and disposal system.
Stafford County Economic Development was established in 2011 through the leadership of the Stafford County Commission for the purpose of promoting economic and population growth throughout the county. A private, non-profit organization, Stafford EcoDevo receives an annual appropriation from the county based on 1 mill of county valuation. Competitive grants awarded to Stafford EcoDevo also support operations and programs.
Dunn said promoting entrepreneurship is an area of emphasis. She said nearly 99 percent of American job creation comes from existing businesses growing or new business start-ups, and just 1 percent comes from business relocation.
For more information about Stafford County Economic Development visit www.staffordecodevo.com or www.facebook.com/staffordecodevo.
HOI was founded in 1995 by a group of committed professionals who saw a dire need for affordable housing in Great Bend, and the surrounding communities. HOI is a board governed 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to building affordable and safe housing for the communities in Barton, Pawnee, and Rice counties, and is certified by the state of Kansas as a Community Housing Development Organization.
HOI works with and puts together applications for grant money through government programs for income-based housing. After being awarded the funds for these projects, HOI begins construction on the property. Once the property is built and ready for tenants, HOI manages the properties from renting to maintenance.