MINDEN, Iowa (KMTV) — Nearly three years after the devastating Arbor Day tornadoes flattened an entire block in Minden, Iowa, neighbors gathered to break ground on a new housing development that represents hope and resilience.
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The project, led by Habitat for Humanity Council Bluffs, will bring six, two-bedroom, two-bathroom townhomes to a lot that was badly damaged by the tornadoes.
It was a beautiful autumn day.
"Talking to the builders, they say it's going to be this way all the way until Christmas so they should be able to move right along," Mayor Kevin Zimmerman joked.
Now, construction is ready to begin on what officials hope will provide housing for families displaced by the Arbor Day tornadoes.
"I like to move forward. I don't like to sit idle and this was definitely a move forward," Zimmerman said.
Habitat Executive Director Blake Johnson says the townhomes are designed for moderate-income, first-time home buyers.
"A lot of people think that Habitat might not be for them but we truly are housing for hardworking families that are just struggling to get by," Johnson said.
The townhomes will sell for $175,000 each. A family of four could qualify with a household income of just under $90,000.
"This isn't just about construction, it's about hope," said Debi Durham, director of the Iowa Economic Development Authority.
Families interested in applying for one of the townhomes can contact Habitat for Humanity Council Bluffs.
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