SUN PRAIRIE, Wis. – Almost every part of what it takes to build a home has become more expensive in the past few years, but with the help of a multi-million dollar state grant in Sun Prairie, help is on the way.
Leaders from Habitat for Humanity will rely on a $2,231,821 grant through a state-run disaster recovery program in Wisconsin to build 10 new single-family homes on the city’s east side.
The group’s COO Steven Hanrahan said between the rise in costs for land, high interest, and supply shortages, it’s been a challenge to meet their yearly building goals.
“It’s a struggle,” Hanrahan said. “We actually approached the city and said, ‘hey, could we collaborate on this?’ and everything kind of steamrolled from there.”
The City of Sun Prairie was awarded the grant from the Wisconsin Department of Administration to help in the aftermath of the 2018 flooding across Dane County that left homes severely water-damaged.
The city’s Communications and Diversity Strategist Jake King said while Sun Prairie was not directly impacted by the floods, the ripple effect meant people in Madison were looking for homes all across Dane County.
Sun Prairie’s Housing and Equitable Development Planner, Becky Binz, said the need for more homes is especially high because of the city’s rapid population growth. She said an estimated 700 people move to Sun Prairie each year.
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Habitat’s focus will be on providing homes to families earning between 30 to 60 percent of Dane County’s median household income. The grant money will allow the group to build 10 homes in its 117-house development, Habitat’s largest project statewide.
King said the city expects the 10 homes to be built in one to two years, and new owners will spend between 275 and 425 hours helping build them.
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