How Small Rural Communities Can Leverage Funding  Webinar Recap

How Small Rural Communities Can Leverage Funding 

Speakers: Cliff Mesner, Mesner Development; John Madsen, Wm. Krotter Co. 

In this webinar state experts on funding for housing production provide a framework for turning that funding into shovel ready projects. 

Cliff Mesner of Mesner Development began with a discussion on the variety of different funding sources he has worked with through his career for housing development, and the key differences between competitive funding and local funding which communities can control.  Cliff encourages communities to start small, like his investment club did with hotels and assisted living, then moving up to bigger projects.  Cliff moves on to discuss the rural workforce housing fund and how it can be leveraged to turn smaller amounts of local funds into major investments. 

John Madsen, who has been critical to development in the city of Stuart tells the story of how his community started small with rehab projects and eventually grew into building homes every year.  John emphasizes the need to think of housing as a 100-year investment, and how housing will impact generations down the road.  John talks about some of the road blocks to development he’s faced, and how leadership can’t be afraid to do the right thing when it comes to housing. 

RESOURCES:

• nifa.org 
• mesnerdevelopment.com 
• krotters.com