Curtis Housing Authority teaming up with McCook

Area residents enjoy coffee and conversation during Tuesday's Coffee with a Cop meeting at the Bieroc Cafe. From left, McCook Housing Agency Executive Director Becky Dutcher, City Councilman Gene Weedin and Howard Kool, Bill Longnecker, Janet Kool and Doug Roose of McCook. (Bruce Baker/McCook Gazette)

McCOOK, Neb. -- The McCook Housing Agency is assuming management responsibilities for the Curtis Housing Authority. The merger of management responsibilities was scheduled to officially take place last Wednesday.

Executive Director Becky Dutcher shared the news with attendees at last week's Coffee with a Cop meeting at the Bieroc Cafe. She said the director of the Curtis Housing Authority retired several years ago and a replacement had been sought for some time.

The Curtis addition will bring another 23 units under the McCook Housing Agency management responsibilities, an increase of more than 20 percent when combined with the previous 113 managed units.

Dutcher and her staff also oversee voucher assistance for another 44 units, a program she said brings in more than $12,000 per month in rental assistance to the area.

One local voucher program participant attended last week's coffee meeting and thanked Dutcher and her staff for their help over the years. He praised the voucher program and said it helped him obtain independent living by renting a local house. He estimated over a period of more than 10 years the program saved him more than $25,000.

Dutcher indicated she was encouraged with recent progress made in adding houses to the McCook inventory, referencing the Clary Village housing development, East Ward Village and private development by North Pointe Properties. The 14-year housing agency veteran said there still isn't enough houses in McCook, though, especially for lower to middle income families.

Following construction in 2013 and the initial tenant move-in, East Ward Village has experienced a total of four vacancies since, according to Dutcher.