At the April 10, 2012 South Western Oklahoma Development Authority board meeting, SWODA trustees voted to begin a Housing Development & Community Improvement program.  SWODA wants to establish a process working with Counties, Cities & Towns, and other partners that helps meet the demand for new housing in the eight county region and addresses the clean-up of substandard housing units.

The program will consist of two phases:

·      Phase I - SWODA plans to construct moderate size (1,400-1,600 sq ft average) market housing to help meet the needs of workforce families.  These built to specification (Spec) homes would generally consist of (3) Bedrooms, (2) Baths, (2) Car garage, all appliances, and basic amenities.  To control costs, SWODA proposes to build multiple housing units simultaneously at each location.  Plans will be modified as necessary to fit locations and market demands.

·     Phase II - SWODA would like to work with Counties, Cities and Towns, and private property owners to address property with substandard dwellings.  SWODA will utilize profits from the sales of new housing units (Phase I) to cleanup these properties.  After properties are 'clean', SWODA will work with local officials and citizens to determine the best approach to re-developing the lots.

Obviously, SWODA cannot address the needs of all the 48 cities and town in the region simultaneously.  Housing Development and improvement is a long-term program.  Due to the time involved for construction activities, the amount of financial resources invested, and the legal issues related to land acquisition and sales, this program will not be an overnight fix to housing issues within the region.

SWODA will not be granting funds as part of the housing program.  We plan to revolve SWODA financial resources in the housing program to continually build homes or improve properties.

Local partners will play a significant role in the success of the Housing Program.  Partnerships may take on many forms and activities.  SWODA wants to work with government agencies and organizations that share our views and commitment to improve housing throughout the region.

Below is a form (click on black "down arrow" on the right) that will help the SWODA Board and management prioritize housing program initiatives and building locations.  If your City or Town is interested in the housing program, please provide the information requested by 5:00 p.m., June 5, 2012.  Please address questions or mail, fax or email your response to:

  Representative Purcy Walker, Representative Todd Russ, Representative Harold Wright and Senator Tom Ivester gathered with town officials from across southwest Oklahoma last week to officially present over one million dollars in grants awarded through South Western Oklahoma Development Authority (SWODA). 

  Rural Economic Action Plan (REAP) and Community Enhancement of Nutritional Assistance (CENA) grants were presented. These grants are an investment toward improving the lives of the citizens in rural communities by improving infrastructure, promoting economic growth and community stability. 

  Myrna Ashby, Mayor of Hammon, was present to receive a CENA award on behalf of the Hammon senior citizens center. “I am so thankful for the SWODA organization,” said the mayor. “If we had to compete against bigger towns and organizations for funding on our own, we would not be progressing like we are.” 

Many rural communities depend on the Community Enhancement of Nutritional Assistance (CENA) grants to help provide nutritional meals for senior citizens. 

CENA grants awarded last week will help to serve an average of 900 meals per week to senior citizens across southwestern Oklahoma. Representative Purcy Walker praised the CENA program for, “helping to hold smaller communities together by providing fellowship through the nutritional programs.” 

The town of Blair is working toward being able to provide nutritional meals for area senior citizens like many of their neighboring communities. Karri Orick, Blair Town Administrator, said, “This grant will help us to move forward. It’s a blessing for small towns like ours to have this resource.” 

Improvements to infrastructure such as sewer systems, roads, and water lines made possible through the REAP grants may not be as noticeable to residents of the communities receiving them, but as Kelly Harmon of Mountain Park said, “The grant money to improve our sewer lift stations will save the city many hours of man power that has been used to continually fix the problems we’ve been having.” 

Representative Todd Russ echoed the sentiments of rural communities in southwest Oklahoma by adding, “It’s always a fight at the capitol to keep the funding here in our rural communities. The REAP grant program is a very important mechanism for getting tax dollars that have to be spent in Oklahoma City, by rural citizens, back to rural communities. This is a workable process that has helped with hundreds of projects throughout my district. I will continue to work hard to keep the funding in place for the REAP program and those who need it.” 

Those presented awards include: 

Town of Mountain Park for Sewer Lift Station Improvements ‐ $19,975 

Town of Gotebo for Waterline Replacement Project ‐ $100,000 

City of Hobart for Construction of Animal Shelter Building ‐ $100,000 

Town of Carter for Waterline Replacement Project ‐ $100,000 

Town of Sentinel for Waterline Replacement Project ‐ $99,900 

Town of Dill City for Purchase generator to run water wells in emergency ‐ $17,490 

City of Snyder for Water Storage Tank Renovation ‐ $100,000 

Beckham Co./Beckham Rural Water #1 for Installation of Booster Pump Station ‐ 

$100,000 

Town of Rocky for Purchase of Backhoe Machine ‐ $50,000 

City of Hollis for Installation of Sewer Line Replacement Project ‐ $79,400 

City of Thomas for Construction of new City Maintenance Barn ‐ $79,500 

Beckham Co/North Fork Red River Conservation District for Purchase of No‐Till 

Drill ‐ $47,500 

Jackson Co. /Elmer Rural Volunteer Fire Department for Purchase of Pick Truck 4x4, 

Bed Equipment. Pumps Hoses ‐ $100,000 

Opportunities, Inc. ‐ $17,000.72 

Nutrition Assistance Awards include: 

Town of Hammon for nutrition assistance ‐ $17,000 

Cordell Senior Citizens Center ‐ $17,000 

Dill City Sr. Citizens Center ‐ $4,250 

Town of Mt. View ‐ $4,189.09 

Town Rocky ‐ $3,750 

Town of Sentinel ‐ $3,750 

Hobart Senior Citizens Center ‐ $13,000 

City of Altus ‐ $2,486.25 

Lone Wolf Senior Citizens ‐ $13,000 

Roosevelt Senior Citizens ‐ $3,250 

Weatherford Pioneer Center ‐ $3,250 

Mt. Park Senior Citizens ‐ $13,000 

Warren Senior Citizens ‐ $13,000 

Town of Granite ‐ $3,250 

Town of Eldorado ‐ $1,131 

Town of Snyder ‐ $6,514.14 

Town of Willow Jim Baker Community Center ‐ $3,250 

Thomas Senior Citizens ‐ $3,046 

Cloud Chief Community/Washita County ‐ $1,137.30 

City of Erick ‐ $8,920 

Town of Gotebo ‐ $1,631.12 

Berlin Community Center/Roger Mills County ‐ $2,720.60 

Town of Reydon ‐ $8,920 

Corn Senior Citizens ‐ $385.93 

Cowden Community Center/Washita County ‐ $858 

Town of Blair ‐ $3,952