CommunityWorks
North Dakota was founded in 1995
as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit
organization with the mission of addressing housing issues,
particularly for low- and moderate-income
individuals. By
partnering with local lenders, government officials, communities, and
other interests, CommunityWorks has provided much-needed assistance and
development to many families and communities
across the state.
Since its founding, CommunityWorks has been able to accomplish many
goals that have helped to provide North Dakota homeowners with safe
and affordable housing opportunities. Some of its recent
accomplishments include:
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CommunityWorks partnered with MetroPlains Development, a for-profit development company, to convert an abandoned, historic school house in Beulah into 28 affordable apartment units. The "Beulah Schoolhouse Apartments" earned national and state accolades, including the HUD Top 100 Best Practices Award and the North Dakota Governor's Award for the Best Multi-Family Project.
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CommunityWorks has won six Champion of Affordable Housing awards from the North Dakota Housing Finance Agency. It's programs, projects and services earned it a Champion Award for production in 2001 and 2004; Executive Director Paul Rechlin was awarded its Champion of Affordable Housing Leadership Award in 2004; and the DREAM Fund and its other lending activities were recognized with Champion awards in the lending category in 2005, 2006 and 2007.
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CommunityWorks coordinated a $700,000, 72-home rehabilitation project to benefit low-income and elderly homeowners living in rural areas of the state. To recognize this accomplishment, CommunityWorks was presented with the Award of Excellence from the Federal Home Loan Bank-Des Moines in 2003.
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In 2003, CommunityWorks and MetroPlains worked together again to develop "Library Square", a 46-unit apartment building in Mandan for low-income, elderly residents of the community. The new building has helped to revitalize Mandan's downtown community, which had been devastated by an underground diesel plume. Library Square was the recipient of the Champion of Affordable Housing award for the production category from the North Dakota Housing Finance Agency (2004).
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In 2004, CommunityWorks was certified as a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) by the U.S. Treasury Department.
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CommunityWorks was accepted into the NeighborWorks Campaign for Home Ownership in December, 2004, joining 150 other organizations around the country to promote homeownership for low- and moderate-income households.
CommunityWorks is North Dakota's first and only chartered member of the NeighborWorks America® (formerly Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation NeighborWorks®). NeighborWorks America is a Congressionally-chartered, national nonprofit organization that provides resources and training to local organizations to increase affordable homeownership and community revitalization opportunities.