Before and after

It's always gratifying to see the successful conclusion of a group's collective efforts.

These photos show the results of a collaboration between WCI, the Otto Bremer Foundation and the city of Pelican Rapids to create affordable residential building lots by removing blighted structures.

WCI has taken on the role three times to help secure the appropriate funding on behalf of communities in west central Minnesota. The most recent effort concluded in 2005 and was made possible by a grant to WCI from the Otto Bremer Foundation.

The Community InFill Housing Program provided matching grants to communities and non-profit housing developers to demolish deteriorated structures. In turn, the recipients made lot(s) available for affordable housing development.

These photos from Pelican Rapids show structure demolition and the corresponding exchanged lot with its new home. Pelican Rapids was one of six west central Minnesota communities that took advantage of the InFill Housing Program.

Although a successful program, it takes on average two to four years for a sufficient number of tax forfeited and other properties to become available for WCI to seek outside funds to run a similar program.