Submitted by Four Bands Community Fund

Ashley Elk Nation had been living in a single-wide mobile home in Eagle Butte with her two sons for several years. Although she owned the home, her desire to do her best for her children was tugging her towards a safer neighborhood.

"I wanted a better home for my sons," Ashley explains.

A few years earlier, the Cheyenne River Housing Authority had broken ground on a 160-acre housing development just north of town. The development included 38 half-acre homeownership sites, and other community members had already started building out there.

Ashley reached out to Four Bands to apply for a mortgage and qualified for a USDA Section 502 Mortgage Loan, which is specifically designed to make homeownership more affordable with lower interest rates and longer repayment terms. Ashley decided to purchase a Governor's House, an affordable pre-built home designed for South Dakota residents, and place it over a full basement.

She had used a loan from a local bank to purchase her mobile home in town, but this process was completely different. Because the mobile home in town was not on a permanent foundation, the lending process was like purchasing a vehicle, which is fairly simple. With construction involved in the purchase of her new home, there were a lot of moving parts. Ashley says the relationship with her Four Bands Loan Officer, April Anderson, made all the difference.

"I probably wouldn't be where I am now without April. She broke everything down for me where I could understand it and made it so easy. Four Bands was a great resource for the whole construction process and lending process," says Ashley.

Ashley moved into her new home in October 2022 and is still loving it. She and her boys are enjoying the comfortable amount of space inside, the extra outdoor living space that includes a porch and large yard, the peace that comes with living on the outskirts of town, and especially the safety of a great neighborhood. Ashley also recognizes a deeper level of change that has come with moving into their new home.

"It's more permanent. Even when I'm gone, my sons will always have this place to call home," reflects Ashley.

And that's a legacy she is proud to leave.