Latest news with #Governor'sHouse
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Board approves price increases for inmate-built affordable housing program
A home produced by the South Dakota Governor's House program. (Courtesy of South Dakota Housing Development Authority) The price of homes built by South Dakota inmates and sold to income-eligible residents across the state will increase again this year. The South Dakota Housing Development Authority Board voted unanimously Tuesday in Pierre to increase the prices for Governor's Houses, which are constructed at Mike Durfee State Prison in Springfield and shipped across the state to eligible buyers. There are two- and three-bedroom homes, as well as multi-family 'DakotaPlex' options for towns with 5,000 people or fewer, and day care models. Homebuyers can purchase a Governor's House if they have an income of $71,540 or less for a one- or two-person household, or $81,760 for households of three or more. Developers can buy and place the homes, as well, if they're later sold to people who fall within the income guidelines. Buyers are responsible for finding a lot, getting a building permit, buying appliances, laying flooring and hooking up utilities. Prices have crept up since 2020, when a buyer could get a two-bedroom Governor's House for $50,200. Most of this year's increases align with the program's income limit increase, said Mike Harsma, who heads the Governor's House program for South Dakota Housing. The income limits were raised by just over 10%. On July 1, the start of the 2025 fiscal year, the homes will be priced as follows: Two bedroom: $86,000, up from $75,900, or a 13.3% increase. Three bedroom: $96,000, up from $89,900, or a 6.8% increase. Dakotaplex two bedroom: $97,000, up from $89,900, or a 7.9% increase. Dakotaplex three bedroom: $106,000, up from $99,900, or a 6.1% increase. Day care: $96,000, up from $89,900, or a 6.8% increase. The increasing cost of materials continues to contribute to home prices, Harsma added. Harsma told the board that the authority is on track to sell about 120 units this fiscal year, selling 91 through the end of April – most of which were three-bedroom units. The authority typically sells less than five two-bedroom units a year, said Executive Director Chas Olson. A 'handful' of the program's 58 building pads in Springfield can only accommodate two-bedroom homes, which is part of the reason the authority continues to build and sell homes despite their low interest. Most of the two-bedroom sales are sold as elderly housing, Olson said. 'So we want to still kind of have that option open, but we've certainly talked at length about the possibility of cutting that two-bedroom unit,' Olson said. Harsma also hopes to see an improved lead time. Between 2022 and 2024, it took three years to complete and deliver an order. Harsma told board members the program lowered its lead time to 18 months this winter and 'we're hoping to lower it again as we get further into the summer.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Prices rise for prison-built Governor's House units
PIERRE, S.D. (KELO) — It's going to cost more to buy one of the housing or daycare units that inmates build at Mike Durfee State Prison in Springfield. The South Dakota Housing Development Authority board on Tuesday voted to raise prices for the various buildings offered for sale through the Governor's House program. A two-bedroom home will rise from the current $75,900 to $86,000, while a three-bedroom model will increase from the current $89,900 to $96,000. Daycare units will likewise rise to $96,000. Buyers are responsible for providing the lots, foundations, appliances and utility connections. The Governor's House program also offers DakotaPlex rental units that are sold to communities with populations under 5,000. Two-bedroom complexes that currently cost $89,900 will rise to $97,000, while three-bedroom complexes that now cost $99,900 will increase to $107,000. Then-Gov. Bill Janklow started the program in 1995 as a way to make more affordable housing available for seniors, low- to medium-income households and people with disabilities. Since then, more than 3,300 units have been sold. Because the buildings are constructed at the Springfield prison, the wait time has been as long as two years. According to Mike Harsma, who oversees the program, that's now down to 18 months and the hope is to further reduce it. One change is that lunch is now served on site, reducing the downtime each day to an hour or so. Having inmates leave for lunch break and return took an hour and a half many days. 'Fifteen minutes when you're talking about 150 employees makes a difference,' Harsma told the board. During the first 10 months of the current state fiscal year, there have been 91 sales. The production target for the full year is 120. 'That's pretty much right on track where we were two years ago,' Harsma said. Of those sold this year, three-bedroom models were by far chosen the most, Harsma said. A chart showed sales of 40 normal-lot three-bedrooms and 24 narrow-lot three-bedroom units, compared to five of the two-bedroom models and 22 DakotaPlex rental units. A board member wondered Tuesday whether it's worth continuing to offer the two-bedroom house. The authority's executive director, Chas Olson, said Springfield prison has 58 building pads and a handful of them are designed specifically for the two-bedroom model. 'We certainly have talked extensively about cutting the two-bedroom unit,' Olson said. He explained that many buyers decide they prefer having the extra space of a three-bedroom for the relatively affordable additional cost. Olson told KELOLAND News afterward that the new prices take effect immediately for all new purchases. He added, 'However, if our sales reps have been working with customers previously they will have until Friday to lock in the old price.' At A Glance: Governor's House program sales 2024 – 66 houses, 8 DakotaPlex 2023 – 83 houses, 44 DakotaPlex 2022 – 140 houses, 18 DakotaPlex 2021 – 160 houses, 12 DakotaPlex 2020 – 109 houses, 5 DakotaPlex 2019 – 102 houses, 3 DakotaPlex 2018 – 95 houses 2017 – 94 houses 2016 – 118 houses 2015 – 160 houses 2014 — 103 houses Source: South Dakota Housing Development Authority Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Pembrokeshire Herald
02-05-2025
- Pembrokeshire Herald
Castle revamp gathers pace as councillor tours site
HAVERFORDWEST'S Castle Ward County Councillor Thomas Tudor says the regeneration of Haverfordwest Castle is an 'exciting time' for the town, after joining other stakeholders on a tour of the historic site. Cllr Tudor was invited by Pembrokeshire County Council's Heart of Pembrokeshire team to see the progress being made on the flagship heritage attraction project. The major redevelopment includes the Gaol building and Governor's House, which are being transformed into a new visitor centre telling the story of Pembrokeshire past, present and future, using interactive and technology-based displays. The wider site will also house a refurbished Haverfordwest Museum, focusing on the town's history, and the inner bailey will be used as an events space for theatre, music and community events. Access to the castle will be improved with way-marking throughout the town and a new signature bridge over the Western Cleddau linking to Riverside. According to the council, 88% of 1,000 residents surveyed supported redeveloping the castle into a museum, visitor attraction and community space. The scheme is funded by the UK Government's Levelling Up Fund, with match funding from Pembrokeshire County Council. Additional funding is being sought to fit out the attraction and fund further activities. Haverfordwest Castle is temporarily closed while work continues. The town museum has been relocated to Riverside during the redevelopment, and the castle car park is shut. The attraction is expected to open in spring 2027.
Indian Express
24-04-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Simla Agreement table stands as a quiet witness to history amid fresh India-Pakistan tensions
As the historic 1972 Simla Agreement once again comes into focus amid renewed tensions between India and Pakistan, Shimla quietly preserves a physical remnant of that diplomatic milestone: the iconic table on which the agreement was signed. This table, housed at Barnes Court—now popularly known as Raj Bhavan, the official residence of the Governor of Himachal Pradesh—serves as a tangible reminder of a defining moment in subcontinental history. Pakistan has suspended the Simla Agreement. The Simla Agreement was signed on July 3, 1972, by then Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and Pakistani President Zulfikar Ali Bhutto following the Indo-Pak war of 1971. The agreement aimed to establish lasting peace between the two nations and emphasized bilateral resolutions to conflicts, laying the groundwork for future dialogue. Visitors to Raj Bhavan can witness this piece of history in the Summit Hall, where the table remains carefully preserved. As one passes through the grand wooden entrance, the table comes into view—elegantly curved, with ornate golden trimmings, and adorned with two symbolic national flags (though only the Indian flag remains today). Framed photographs of President Bhutto and a joint image of the Indian and Pakistani delegations facing each other during the summit are placed on the table. The exhibit is enclosed by small copper pillars linked by a golden chain, all resting on a plush red carpet. Above the display, a large portrait of Indira Gandhi overlooks the setting. 'Raj Bhavan, formerly known as Barnes Court, is a heritage building in itself,' said Jayant Sharma, Public Relations Officer at the Governor's House, speaking to The Indian Express. 'The wooden table on which the Simla Agreement was signed has been preserved as a historical artifact in the Summit Hall. It's maintained in its original condition and polished every six months, with special attention given to the golden trims. We've opened Raj Bhavan to the general public on weekends—Saturday and Sunday—from 2 pm to 5 pm. Entry is Rs 30 for Indian adults and Rs 70 for foreign nationals, while children can enter free of charge.' He added, 'Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla recently took the decision to open Raj Bhavan to the general public on weekends.' Meanwhile, AN Barowalia, 84, who served as Personal Assistant Secretary to then Governor S Chakravarti in 1972, recalled those historic days with remarkable clarity. 'The memories are still vivid. The agreement was signed in the very same hall where the table is kept today,' he told The Indian Express. 'Initially, this table was housed in the Viceroy's Lodge (now the Indian Institute of Advanced Study, or IIAS) before it was moved to Barnes Court following the suggestion of former President Dr S Radhakrishnan. I retired from Raj Bhavan in 1998, but the table was designated a heritage artifact soon after the 1972 signing.' He added, 'There were several dining chairs around the table—two attached to it and two set aside. However, it's unclear whether those were used during the agreement.' Barowalia also shared a lesser-known anecdote involving Benazir Bhutto, daughter of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, who accompanied her father to Shimla. 'Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had arranged shopping excursions for Benazir Bhutto and instructed the Raj Bhavan staff to ensure she didn't spend money from her own purse,' he said, reflecting on the softer, diplomatic undertones that accompanied the formal negotiations. Barowalia, who was the one to type the draft of the Simla Agreement, declined to share the details of the sequence of events in which the agreement was signed, terming those as 'highly secret.' Interestingly, a Raj Bhavan official informed The Indian Express that while both Indian and Pakistani flags originally adorned the table, the Pakistani flag was recently removed. 'It was taken away well before the recent Pahalgam terror attack, which has further strained relations between the two nations,' the source said. Even today, as geopolitical tensions simmer, the Simla Agreement table stands as a symbol of diplomacy, history, and the persistent hope for peace between India and Pakistan.
Arab Times
12-04-2025
- Politics
- Arab Times
Pakistanis Now Eligible for UAE's Five-Year Multiple-Entry Tourist Visa
DUBAI, April 12: UAE Ambassador to Pakistan, Hamad Obaid Ibrahim Salem Al Zaabi, stated that Pakistani citizens are now eligible for a five-year multiple-entry tourist visa following the resolution of previous issues. According to the official website of Dubai's General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs, the five-year multiple-entry visa allows individuals to enter the UAE multiple times from the date of issuance without the need for a guarantor or local host. This development was revealed during a meeting between Ambassador Al Zaabi and Sindh Governor Kamran Khan Tessori at the Governor's House, as reported by Dawn. 'Visa issues have been resolved; Pakistanis can now obtain a five-year visa,' Al Zaabi stated in a press release from the Governor House. He also invited the governor to visit the visa center at the UAE consulate in Karachi. Governor Tessori expressed his gratitude to the UAE envoy for the country's investments in Sindh, particularly in Karachi. In response, the ambassador commended various development projects being implemented under the governor's initiatives. Meanwhile, reports indicate that the UAE has recently intensified scrutiny of Pakistani nationals entering the country due to concerns about their alleged involvement in criminal activities, including begging. On December 23, a Senate committee was informed that all Pakistani travelers to the UAE must be vetted and verified by local police, with travel agents receiving related instructions. At another Senate meeting held on January 9, the Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development clarified that there were no official restrictions on work visas for Pakistanis traveling to the UAE. However, it was noted that visit visas had been 'unofficially suspended' over concerns that some visitors were misusing them. In a separate interview with Geo News in November, UAE Consul-General in Karachi, Dr. Bakheet Ateeq Alremeithi, suggested that some visa rejections may be linked to inappropriate behavior on social media by certain Pakistani influencers, particularly on platforms like TikTok. He explained that such conduct has drawn criticism from the UAE authorities and led to tighter visa controls, though he emphasized that there is no official ban on issuing visas to Pakistanis.
