Friends of Housing Awards Presented

The South Dakota Housing Development Authority announced the winners of the 2003 Friend of Housing Awards at the statewide annual housing conference in Pierre on Tuesday.

The organization award was presented to Development for the Disabled, Inc. out of Rapid City, for their work in providing opportunities to the special populations of South Dakota, including the recent development of the Cedar Village Assisted Living Facility in Yankton.

Cedar Village, a 20 bed facility, is applauded as the only facility in the state providing assisted living and 24-hour support services specifically for persons with severe mental illness. This accomplishment provides an invaluable service to a population that is at high risk of homelessness due to their mental illness and extremely low income.

DDI also serves clients in eight different communities across South Dakota and has helped create 130 affordable housing units since its inception in 1995. The organization was also a founding member of the Rural Collaborative, a regional housing corporation founded to expand resources for affordable housing in rural areas.

The individual award was presented to Dr. Ken Halverson of Yankton. Halverson received numerous nominations for his dedication to the Habitat for Humanity organization and his continued efforts to improve housing in his community and the state.

Halverson has played a key role in the establishment of Habitat for Humanity in Yankton County. He served as the first board president and has worked as the director since 1999. "There is no job too small for him…," wrote one nominator. Halverson's commitment to the organization shows in his involvement in all areas of the Habitat organization. "He works tirelessly to find inexpensive lots, pull together building crews, seek out grant funding, completing necessary paperwork… and volunteer to do whatever is necessary to build homes for families," writes another nominator.

Halverson, a retired surgeon, and his wife, Mary, have traveled to Habitat for Humanity building sites in other communities and were part of the Jimmy Carter Building Blitz on the Cheyenne Indian Reservation in 1995. SDHDA annually recognizes one individual and organization that have been instrumental in creating and/or supporting affordable housing, implementing housing-relating programs, and educating or helping others solves housing problems.

The nominations were reviewed and the recipients were chosen by an outside panel of judge from various related industries around the state.

The South Dakota Housing Development Authority (SDHDA) is an independent, quasi-public agency that finances and develops affordable housing opportunities for low and moderate income residents throughout South Dakota. SDHSA is totally self-supporting and receives no tax money, appropriations or other funding from the State. SDHDA does not discriminate again any person because of race, creed, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin.

Pictured from left to right are: Dar Baum, SDHDA Executvie Director; Mary Halverson, Dr. Ken Halverson, and Dan Gergen.

Pictured from left to right are: Mike Chambers and Chuck Vanderziel, Development for the Disabled, Inc.; Dar Baum, SDHDA Executive Director; and Bill Podhadrsky, Black Hills Special Services Coop.