In early June, Sherry Morgan, an enrolled member of the Crow Creek Sioux Tribe, realized her dream of homeownership with the help and support from several of our Coalition members. She now owns a home located on her parents’ leased land where she lived as a young girl.

In recognizing her great accomplishment, a celebratory event was held at Sherry’s home on June 5, 2018, and attended by several partner organizations, family, and community members. During the event, a Crow Creek elder blessed Sherry’s home, and an honor song was performed by the local drum group Bad Nation. USDA Rural Development Director, Julie Gross, presented Sherry with a certificate, and a meal was shared by all who attended.

During the event, Sherry said,

“The feelings are overwhelming for me as a first-time homeowner. Having this home built on the previous site of where my mom and dad lived makes it bittersweet.”

The innovative way in which Coalition members worked together created a path to homeownership for Sherry. This project is USDA Rural Development’s first 502 New Construction Direct Loan with the South Dakota Housing Development Authority’s Governor’s House Program on the Crow Creek Indian Reservation. USDA Rural Development leveraged the 502 Loan with Federal Home Loan Bank’s Native American Homeownership Initiative (NAHI)  program through Dacotah Bank, as well as the Crow Creek Housing Authority to assist Sherry with the purchase of the Governor’s House. She also received funds through the Homes are Possible, Inc. (HAPI) grant program for closing costs.

Although Sherry’s homeownership journey was nearly two years, she was driven and committed through the entire process. She hopes that by sharing her story, it will inspire others to jump in with both feet to obtain homeownership.