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1700 Spring Street, Darlington, WI, Wisconsin’s 1st Congressional District
Contact
Nicole Solheim
Cinnaire
O: (608)515-5161
[email protected]
The Meadows development is a partnership between Southwestern WI Community Action Program, Inc. and Cinnaire Solutions to bring 32 units of much-needed affordable housing for agricultural workers and their families in the region. The Darlington community and surrounding region are home to numerous farms and agricultural businesses. In Lafayette County, Agriculture accounts for 85% of the total business sales and provides 54% of the jobs. As many rural areas grapple with a lack of affordable housing to support families and businesses, this development seeks to address that need, providing safe, quality housing for agricultural workers in the community.
The Meadows development was completed at the end of 2022.
Benefits & Innovation
The Meadows offers rents sized according to tenant income, with no residents paying more than 30% of their income on rent. This provides stability for families who can be safely housed while also being able to afford the essentials of such as childcare, food, and healthcare. The unique community offers fully- appointed apartment homes with large closets, extra storage, spacious kitchen with all appliances and pantry, separate dining, and in-home washer-dryer. The creation of new, quality affordable housing for the local agricultural workforce, combined with services provided by local partner SWCAP, ensures that this unique development will significantly impact the lives of residents and the surrounding community. The Meadows on-site community building offers services through SWCAP’s Multicultural Outreach program, including English language skills and assistance with healthcare, legal issues, and access to employment.
Although primarily a housing project, The Meadows is also important to maintain a workforce for the local agricultural sector. Other than The Meadows development that is part of this project, WHEDA has only funded 38 total affordable LIHTC units in Lafayette Co, dating back to the early 1990s. This lack of housing investment has clearly impacted the local workforce and economy, and The Meadows is a part of the effort to address this workforce housing shortage. It not only provides decent housing for low-income families with children but also adds to the ability of local farmers and agricultural businesses to retain employees. In addition, The Meadows is the first of its kind in Wisconsin to combine the USDA Rural Development 514 housing loan with WHEDA low-income housing tax credits. Known as an Off-Farm Labor Housing loan, the 514 loan product provides affordable financing to develop housing for year-round and migrant or seasonal domestic farm laborers.
Additional Information
SWCAP has recently secured CDBG funding from the State Department of Administration to build a community facility adjacent to The Meadows. The new facility will include space for a Head Start childcare classroom, Community Connections Free Clinic with healthcare services, and space for a WIC nutrition program. WIC provides crucial food, infant formula, and education to low-income pregnant women and new mothers and their children. Construction of this facility will begin later in 2023 with programming to begin in 2024. The combination of affordable housing, affordable childcare, and free health clinic services all on the same site will have significant impact on residents at The Meadows as well as the overall community.
Partners
Funding
630 Eye Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20001
(202) 293-5820
