SHEDCO director outlines housing, workforce and strategic-planning priorities to Hot Springs council

Andrea Powers, executive director of SHEDCO, briefed the Hot Springs City Council on the organization’s quarterly activities and local economic-development priorities.

Powers said SHEDCO saw strong attendance in its nursing program this year and that two participants completed the program. She told council that SHEDCO and partners submitted RDBG (Rural Development Block Grant) applications for both Edgemont and Hot Springs, $49,750 each, and that the group expects notification in mid-September.

Powers summarized three takeaways from the recent South Dakota Housing Conference: a manufactured-home down-payment program intended to reduce upfront costs for buyers of manufactured units; a Workforce Housing Development Program that would provide loan funds for single-family developments with buyer income capped at 120% of area median income and a sales-price limit indicated at $300,000; and an expansion of income eligibility for the governor’s home program (reported as moved to 100% of state median income). She said SHEDCO staff sought clarification from SD Housing on program fit for local "governor's home" units and flagged that some program details remain unclear.

Powers said the SHEDCO board completed a self-assessment and identified strategic planning as the next internal priority. She asked council and other stakeholders to participate in the planning process, which SHEDCO hopes to partly self-fund after an unsuccessful grant application. Powers said SHEDCO is exploring a "business park" project as a longer-term economic goal and emphasized the importance of inclusive growth that benefits a broad cross-section of the community.

Powers also described workforce programs the organization is pursuing, including entrepreneurship training and a Catapult initiative to unify overlapping job-shadow, internship and apprenticeship programs so that students can pursue seamless career pathways. She said SHEDCO will pursue additional grant opportunities for historic preservation and other projects now under discussion with state legislators and regional partners.

"No matter who we hire to facilitate that process, we want other stakeholder participants at the table, which includes you," Powers told the council, urging collaboration on strategic planning.

Council members asked technical questions about manufactured housing eligibility within city limits, whether modular versus manufactured units would qualify, and whether the VA is involved in veteran-focused training; Powers offered to follow up by email and said she would seek additional program clarifications from state administrators.

Powers requested that SHEDCO’s request for possible 2027 funding be included in council budget materials; the mayor and staff asked Powers to submit details to be incorporated in upcoming budget hearings.