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Riley County examines expanding "Home in the Heartland" relocation program as state window reopens
Summary
Planning Director Amanda Webb told commissioners the county’s Home in the Heartland program has about 17 approved movers and a 500-person applicant pipeline; she outlined cost scenarios and said the state application window is open through Aug. 12.
Amanda Webb, Riley County planning director, briefed the Board of Raleigh County Commissioners on the county’s Home in the Heartland relocation-incentive program and the state’s newly opened application round. Webb said the county currently has 17 movers in the program (15 in offered-and-accepted phases) and “about 500 in the initial pipeline,” and that the program’s current total cost was roughly $230,000 with a $187,000 state grant and a county portion of about $41,000, including $15,000 in-kind.
Webb outlined options for scaling an application to the state and stressed that the county must budget for the Make My Move contract and the incentive payments. “We have to pay Make My Move as part of that,” she said, noting the program’s match and the possibility of partial in-kind contributions. She described how the incentive is paid in two halves: an initial $2,500 when the household moves and a second installment after a year of qualifying household income and residency documentation.
Commissioners discussed scale options — 10, 15, 20 or 25 movers — and the budgetary implications for the county. Webb said the state maximum request is $250,000 for the program and offered to return with cost scenarios at 10, 15 and 20 movers, including contract costs and in-kind breakdowns. The board did not take a final funding vote at the meeting; Webb said the application window remains open through August 12 and staff would provide more precise figures if the board wants to proceed.
