You've probably been past a structure that could have been saved a decade or more ago, but in the current state, it's gone too far.  That's what this program is for.

The program is called Bulldoze, Build and Beautify.

State officials say they've identified about 3,000 dilapidated structures across South Dakota that could be demolished and the property used for other purposes.

It's designed to help provide housing for South Dakota's workforce, who are often caught in the middle of small communities that have jobs, but no place for their employees to live.

The whole concept of tearing down old structures to build new ones had me a little nervous, as historic buildings are something I'm passionate about.  After reading the requirement from the State of South Dakota, it made sense:

Property Condition
• Must be in a blighted, dilapidated or abandoned condition.
• Must be unoccupied and not used for another activity, such as a business.

South Dakota is offering $1 million from the Community Development Block Grant provided by the federal government to remove blights from South Dakota communities.

Aaron Scheibe, deputy commissioner of the South Dakota Governor's Office of Economic Development, says it will help working-class South Dakotans.

"The solid workforce of a lot of our companies throughout the state," he explains. "Individuals who earn a good wage, so they're not eligible for a lot of housing assistance programs, but maybe are not in a position to go out and to build their own house in the country or on the edge of town."

The deadline for applications is August 18, 2017.

Scheibe says communities only need to send in bare-bones letters of intent and that his office will follow up later with a more significant application.


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