Back
Supportive Housing Helps More People Live Independently
In the early 2000s, two brothers from the Village of Cottage Grove were searching for adequate housing for their elderly mother. Hoping to find a residence that provided memory-care services, assisted living, and upheld dignity for their residents and practices, the brothers were particular in their search. After an increasingly fruitless hunt for a facility that would be a good fit, the two brothers realized that they did not have any local, available, and affordable options. Because of this, Dale and Dwight Huston took it upon themselves to create one. In August of 2005, Angelus, now known as Drumlin Reserve, opened its doors as a multi-family living facility, providing assisted living service for all its original 49 units.
The Huston brothers’ vision to advance the facility for the Cottage Grove community continued. The brothers sought to include new memory-care services, and build additional new units, and facilities for the residents. While the project was desperately needed, it came with a hefty price tag. By applying for funding through the WHEDA Multifamily Housing Program, the brothers were able to satisfy the criteria needed to finance their project in a manner that allowed the facility’s supportive care services to remain affordable. Since the initial financing in 2012, WHEDA has provided more than $9.6 million to Drumlin Reserve facilities to help refinance all debt and construction expenses; this enabled the Huston brothers to grow their vision and continue to support their community.
| Oh my goodness, it was unbelievable how good WHEDA was to work with. You have loyalty and you have good partners. Once you have something good, you stay with it. |
| -Dale Huston |
Since the inaugural opening in 2005, Drumlin Reserve has been able to boast the completion of 46 additional new units and a dedicated memory-care facility in December 2017. As Dwight Huston remarked, “We built the retirement home based on what we’d want for our mother,” meaning that even the best is rarely good enough. In alignment with the WHEDA vision, the Hustons were able to recognize their goal of providing affordable housing and services to the community, an accomplishment that will not be forgotten.