DALE – Indiana Governor Mike Braun continues to increase the availability of affordable housing options in urban and rural communities statewide through the Indiana Regional Economic Acceleration and Development Initiative (READI). Today, another housing project in the Indiana First region is complete as local and regional officials celebrated the grand opening of Orchard Estates, a new subdivision in Dale that will increase housing in Spencer County.
“I am laser-focused on addressing housing affordability in every Hoosier community,” said Gov. Braun. “Increasing the availability of housing while keeping costs competitive is critical to our efforts to ensure Hoosiers have access to housing they can afford now and into the future. Thank you to our communities and our regions for partnering with us through READI to achieve positive impacts for Hoosiers.”
The Orchard Estates subdivision is an $8.7 million development – including a $1.5 million READI award – that has brought to life 20 single-level duplex homes, creating 40 new housing units in total. The development, which is located on eight acres at County Road 2000 North and Washington Street in Dale, features 1,315-square-foot, three-bedroom, two-bath units, each with an attached garage and in-unit laundry at an affordable rate. The project investment was also used to support necessary infrastructure, including drinking water, sanitary sewer, stormwater, and roadway development, to serve the subdivision.
Today’s grand opening comes just one month after the Indiana First region broke ground on another housing project, Prides Creek Apartments, that will deliver 64 new units in nearby Pike County. The region’s housing developments will support workforce retention and attraction efforts in communities across its five counties.
“The Indiana First region is strengthening rural housing in its communities through READI,” said Indiana Secretary of Commerce Chuck Goodrich. “This investment means more Hoosiers will have access to safe, quality, and affordable housing in the communities they choose, supporting their careers and families.”
Indiana’s READI program is a $1.25 billion investment in regional-led strategies designed to strengthen communities, retain and attract top talent, and increase opportunities for Hoosiers for years to come.
Pike County is part of the Indiana First READI region – led by the Southwest Indiana Development Council – that was awarded $30 million in READI matching funds to support quality of life, quality of place, and quality of opportunity projects. The region’s READI investments, including Hoosier Heights, are designed to remove barriers to and encourage development by investing in infrastructure and increasing the availability of shovel-ready sites; future-proof regional workforce and create opportunities for upskilling; diversify the region’s economy and foster innovation, entrepreneurship, and business attraction and retention; increase housing options; and provide amenities and services that support population growth and diversification.
Learn more at IndianaREADI.com.
