Finding the Perfect Home at Oak Grove Apartments

Unexpected circumstances can turn life upside down. The death of Ashley’s husband did just that, leaving her family searching for a new home. Ashley and her four children, aged six and under, were challenged to find a new place to live that met their specific housing needs while also matching their budget. The family temporarily moved in with Ashley’s parents because she stressed throughout her search for a new place to live, “I thought there would be no way to find a place of our own that was big enough.”

During Ashley’s continued search, she got word that Oak Grove Apartments, a 24-unit multifamily development in Horicon, Wisconsin, was beginning phase two of its 2013 building which would add 20 new units to the original design. Oak Grove Apartments were built with working families in mind. The complex is located near a newly built K-12 school and features private entrances, a parking garage, playground, in-unit washer/dryer, and a front porch. Most units include a full basement and have up-to-three bedrooms. These amenities created the perfect place for Ashley’s family to live, and she was first in line with her application.

Phase II of the Oak Grove project was developed by Dodge County Housing Authority and Dimension Development to meet a growing need for families like Ashley’s. The project included approximately $356,000 of state and federal housing tax credits worth $2.3 million in equity as well as $4.9 million in WHEDA financing funded with National Housing Trust Funds, tax-exempt bonds, and a participation loan from Horicon Bank, among other funding sources. The deal also involved tax credits for the installation of solar panels, which will translate into cost savings for residents in reduced utility costs.

Executive Director Donna Braun of Dodge County Housing Authority and Principal Tom Landgraf of Dimension Development agree that Oak Grove Apartments offers proof that innovative, sustainable, and affordable workforce housing concepts can succeed.