This week, High Plains Morning spoke with the delightful Mollea Wainscott, Special Projects Coordinator for Housing at the Dodge City/Ford County Development Corporation. We were inspired by her passion for revitalizing abandoned, "blight" housing, making it functional and available for low-income families. There's also a house-painting program called Paint Dodge, as well as a remodeling initiative called Community Home Renovation Program.
For more information, to volunteer, or to donate housing, you can contact Mollea at (620) 371-3869 or email her.
Hear our full interview here:
MORE ABOUT DODGE CITY'S HOUSING INITIATIVES:
CHAD is a non-profit organization established to facilitate all levels of housing for citizens of our community and members of our work force that are commuting to Ford County for employment. The organiztion's mission is to address housing needs in the community by revitalizing neighborhoods through comprehensive assistance to persons of low-to-moderate income.
Objectives:
-Recapture abandoned or unoccupied housing while cleaning up blighted areas
-Eliminate health and safety hazards in older homes
-Expanding homeowner education programs and construction education programs
-Develop a strong volunteer base
Construct new housing in the low- to moderate- income level
Abandoned Housing Program:
CHAD has partnered with the City of Dodge City, Kansas Housing Resources Corporations Moderate Income Housing (MIH) Program, and the Dodge City Community College Trade Program for the Abandoned Housing Program. Advantages of the Abandoned Housing Program include:
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. Gaining “hands-on” experience with the building of homes is a perfect training tool for students. It not only brings into play different construction techniques, but also teaches energy efficiency, code compliance and working conditions, while allowing students to experience community development in the process. We use another method of housing development that is cost effective, innovative and succeeds in making more housing units available to the community.
Rehabilitating abandoned housing puts property back onto the tax roll, helping the entire community.
