CommonBond Communities’ affordable housing project will house 42 families
On August 14, the doors of The Radiant opened, and 42 families will move into their new homes. Currently, 24 families are now moved in. On September 28, CommonBond will celebrate the grand opening of the community. The Radiant is a bright, inviting, multi-story affordable housing structure located off of the intersection of East Omaha Street and North Lacrosse Street in Rapid City.
The building’s grand opening is the culmination of more than five years of hard work by CommonBond Communities—a nonprofit providing stable, affordable housing and social services to communities across the Midwest—and their Rapid City partners.
“It’s an exciting milestone,” said Deidre Schmidt, CommonBond president and CEO. “The Rapid City community and the organizations in the region are determined to provide housing for everyone. We’re proud to be a part of that effort.”
The celebration of this milestone is open to all. Join CommonBond and their partners on September 28 at 1:30 p.m. at The Radiant, 28 Racine Street, Rapid City. Visit CommonBond.org/theradiant to RSVP and learn more.
The event will feature a brief program followed by a building tour. “This grand opening is a celebration,” said Cecile Bedor, CommonBond executive vice president of real estate. “It’s a moment for the community to see what affordable housing really looks like. They’ll find a beautiful, thoughtfully designed building that allows residents to get involved in their neighborhood and take advantage of all the amazing parks, events, and community resources that Rapid City has to offer.”
The Radiant marks CommonBond’s first project in South Dakota, but according to Dr. Thomas Adams, CommonBond executive vice president of housing and services, this building is just the beginning. “We learned a lot through this process,” he said. “Most importantly, we learned that South Dakota is motivated and prepared to address the growing need for affordable housing.”
CommonBond has a long-term vision to work with their partners to create fair access to housing opportunities in the state. “This building is an example of what is to come,” said Bedor. “We have decades of experience bringing affordable housing and Advantage Services to the communities that need them. Now we have the partners we need to make that model work in South Dakota.”
The Radiant received support from project funders including the John T. Vucurevich Foundation, the South Dakota Housing Development Authority, the Black Hills Area Community Foundation, the City of Rapid City, the National Affordable Housing Trust, and Bridgewater Bank.
A special thank you to our project partners as well including RCS Construction, Upper Deck Architects, Winthrop and Weinstine, Black Hills Federal Credit Union, FMG Engineering, and Mahoney.
“Our housing model is about people,” said Schmidt. “The local partners we rely on, the donors that support our mission, our service providers, and the residents we serve—everyone is part of building these communities.”
An element of CommonBond’s 50 years of success is their Advantage Services—a range of services from tutoring and mentor programs for students to employment coaching and wellness programs for adults—that support residents as they build a better life for themselves and their families. The specific offerings at The Radiant are under development and will be tailored to residents’ needs.
“Our buildings and services provide stability and grounding to residents and allow for growth within the communities they are a part of,” said Adams. “The need for projects like this is real. Now is the time for people to get involved to ensure there’s a home for everyone in Rapid City.”
