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NEWS RELEASE 1303
SW First American Place, Suite 100, Topeka,
KS 66604-4040 |
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – October 6, 2005
Contact - Harold Alford (785) 271-2701
USDA Rural Development Announces Over $10.6 Million In Kansas Funding For Business and Housing Development
Over 7,000 Rural Kansans To Benefit From Approved Projects
Topeka , KS – USDA Rural Development State Director Chuck Banks announced the Agency has approved nineteen applicants for loans and grants totaling $10,635,462 in FY2005 end funding to promote homeownership opportunities and support the creation and expansion of rural businesses and jobs in Kansas rural communities. The wide range of projects are administered by USDA Rural Development from eleven different programs.
In today’s announcement, State Director Banks commented, “"These investments will benefit rural communities all across the State of Kansas. These funds will help cooperatives and rural entrepreneurs build successful businesses, create good jobs, increase economic opportunities for young families and assist limited-income Kansans achieve the American Dream of homeownership."
Specifically, the nineteen Kansas recipients approved for funding by USDA Rural Development follow:
Bonner Springs Housing Partners, L.P.II, - $1,450,000 Multi-Family Housing guaranteed loan. Agency funds will be used to build a 36 unit family housing complex in Bonner Springs for low to moderate income families.
Kansas Rural Housing of Minneapolis L.P., - $168,474 Multi-Family Housing direct loan. Funding will be used for the rehabilitation of 12 units of family housing in Minneapolis, KS.
Columbus Housing, Inc., Columbus, KS - $167,000 Multi-Family Housing direct loan. Agency funds will be used for the rehabilitation of 32 units of elderly housing in Columbus, KS.
Kansas Rural Housing of Burlington L.P., Burlington, KS - $200,000 Multi-Family Housing direct loan. Agency funds will be used for the rehabilitation of 12 units of family housing in Burlington, KS.
Arma Meadows, L.P., Arma, KS - $1,450,000 Multi-Family Housing direct loan. Agency funds will be used for the rehabilitation of 49 units of elderly housing in Arma, KS.
Pittsburg Heights, L.P., Pittsburg, KS - $962,730 Multi-Family Housing direct loan. Agency funds will be used to construct a 16 unit family housing complex in Pittsburg, KS.
MDI Limited Partnership #104, St. Paul, MN - $500,000 Multi-Family Housing direct loan. Agency funds will be used for the development of 12 units of family housing in Winfield, KS.
City of Liberal, Liberal, KS - $10,000 Mutual Self-Help Housing Pre-Development Assistance grant. Agency funds will be used to develop a Self-Help housing program in Liberal, KS. The City of Liberal is proposing to build 18 homes with the Self-Help program to assist families who otherwise could not afford a home, and will achieve homeownership through the contribution of sweat equity.
City of Junction City , Junction City, KS - $402,800 Community Facility direct loan. Agency funds will be used to construct a 10,180 square foot parking lot adjacent to the Agency-financed Bartel Place project, providing increased safety and convenience for area residents.
Independence Day Care Center, Inc., Independence, KS - $400,000 Community Facility direct loan of $400,000 and a grant of $131,300. Agency funds will be used to construct a building for a child care center, designed to accommodate 100 children. USDA Rural Development loan and grant funds will be complemented with an applicant contribution of $320,000.
Epic Homes of Kansas, Inc., Manhattan, KS - $5,000 Renewable Energy Systems and Energy Efficiency Improvements grant. Agency funds along with $15,000 matching applicant funds, will be used to make energy efficiency improvements to a commercial property located in Hoisington, KS. The improvement will consist of the replacement of the property’s existing inefficient boiler heating system with a new higher efficiency unit. It is projected the improvement will provide for an energy savings of greater than 35%.
Luray Grocery, Luray, KS - $9,673 Renewable Energy Systems and Energy Efficiency Improvements grant. Agency funds along with $29,019 matching applicant funds will be used to make energy efficiency improvements to their business. The improvement will consist of the replacement of inefficient commercial refrigerators and freezers with new and refurbished high efficiency units. It is projected these improvements will provide a 26% increase in energy efficiency, which will result in an anticipated annual savings in excess of $2,400.
Red Bud Lake Improvement District, Dickinson County, KS - $649,000 Water & Waste Disposal loan and $518,600 grant. Agency funds will be used to replace the District’s private septic systems with a centralized collection system. The District serves a population of approximately 120. The project will install new sewer lines with low pressure pump stations, replace the existing water lines and resurfacing roads. The District will purchase water from the City of Abilene and their sewage will be treated by the City of Abilene.
City of Bucklin, Bucklin, KS - $1,301,000 Water & Waste Disposal loan and $448,985 grant. Agency funds will be used to complete Phase I of a two phase project, serving a population of 710. Phase I will consist of installing approximately 31,000 linear feet of pipe, replacing 34 fire hydrants, make repairs to a water tower, and purchase a standby generator.
Peck Improvement District, Peck, KS - $465,000 Water & Waste Disposal loan and $321,400 grant. Agency funds will be used to develop a centralized sewage collection and treatment system for the unincorporated community of Peck, KS, to benefit 77 homes with a population of 200. A two cell lagoon will be constructed, along with 35,000 linear feet of pipe, and a lift station. USDA Rural Development funds will be complemented with a Community Development Block Grant of $248,000.
City of Burlingame, Burlingame, KS - $640,000 Water & Waste Disposal direct loan. Agency funds will be used to complete Phase II of a two phase project serving a population of 997, consisting of installing approximately 17,000 linear feet of water line and appurtenances,. USDA Rural Development funds will be complemented with a Community Development Block Grant in the amount of $400,000.
Rural Water District No. 7 Johnson County, Gardner, KS - $300,000 Water & Waste Disposal guaranteed loan. Agency funds will be used to help the District obtain additional water capacity from their water source, RWD #2, Miami County, KS. The upgrade will allow the District to better serve the needs of the existing 1,964 patrons during peak times and also allow the District to serve the growing population within their boundaries. The population served by this project is 4,910. This funding reflects the District’s share of the costs associated with increasing the pump size from 4 million gallons per day to 6 million gallons per day at the treatment plant.
Sac and Fox Nation of Missouri, Reserve KS - $44,500 Solid Waste Management grant. Agency funds will be used to provide on-site training and technical assistance to four participating tribes, the Kickapoo Tribe in Kansas, the Omaha Tribe in Nebraska, the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation in Kansas, and the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska, to safely address rural farmstead contamination in farm buildings and abandoned drinking water wells. The technical assistance and on-site training will increase each participant’s awareness of hazardous and non-hazardous materials.
Kansas Department of Health and Environment, Topeka KS - $90,000 Solid Waste Management grant. Agency funds will be used to provide technical assistance and training to 33 small arid landfill operators in the western half of Kansas. The technical assistance and training will consist of on-site operational audits, follow-up visits, and conference presentations. This assistance will help keep operating costs at a minimum, extend the life of the equipment and the landfill, and ensure a safe environment for operators and the public.
These Agency programs provide funds to local governments, private non-profit corporations, federally recognized Indian Tribal groups, rural cooperatives and rural utilities to facilitate business development and housing assistance.
For additional information regarding USDA Rural Development programs, interested parties may call the Agency’s state headquarters at 785-271-2700 or log onto the state’s USDA Rural Development website at: www.rurdev.usda.gov/ks
USDA Rural Development – Committed to the future of rural communities.
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