Village of Ewing officials break ground at housing project site

Almost a year after receiving notification that the Village of Ewing was selected to receive funds to construct a two-unit duplex, officials broke ground on the project, Aug. 1.

The $431,640 project, from the Nebraska Affordable Housing Trust Fund, will start construction in mid-August, according to village clerk Sharon Swails. The village will provide a $100,000 match.

Village chairman James Ramold said each unit will feature two bedrooms, one bathroom and a single-car garage, available for rent for income-qualified individuals and families.

Housing needs were identified within the community as village officials worked with the Central Nebraska Economic Development District on the grant application.

During Tuesday's ceremony, Summerland Schools superintendent, Kyle Finke, said he wrote a letter of support for the village's application.

"Getting college grads to leave the metro area and come to rural Nebraska is difficult, so housing, like what will be built here, is crucial for Summerland Public Schools to invite potential teachers in the district," he said.

Ramold piggybacked on Finke's comments, noting, "Housing shortages limit an individual's choice of where to live and the ability to seek and sustain employment. Our workforce is directly affected by the quality and cost of housing."

Morgan Pearson, a Nebraska Department of Economic Development housing representative, commented on the partnership formed among DED, village and CNEDD.

"They worked early. They put in countless hours with partners at CNEDD. This project wouldn't have come together without the great community of Ewing and its parners.

Jerad Reimers, an aide from Rep. Adrian Smith's office, read a letter from the congressman.

"Ensuring a continued committment to preserving healthy, affordable housing stock is vital to a community's health. Today's groundbreaking exemplifes Ewing's committed community vision," Smith wrote.

District 40 Sen. Barry DeKay addressed the assembled crowd, congratulating the village, school, DED and CNEDD for moving the project forward.

"Nebraska, like many other states, is experiencing a shortage of quality, affordable housing. This funding invests in our communities and provides vital resources to increase the housing supply, increase economic opportunity and encourage families to stay and work here, in rural Nebraska," DeKay said.

The senator noted that legislation for some funding for middle-income, workforce development housing did not make it the final version of a bill presented during the 2023 legislative session.

"Most recently, however, the general fund receipts for the 2022-2023 fiscal year came in at about $6.37 billion, which is at .05% of what the economic forecasting advisory board had projected in April. I visited with the governor and other senators, and, if the economic forecast continues to hold, I'm fairly confident that the legislature will revisit the construction of housing in the state moving forward," DeKay said.