08/21/2026
Thanks for joining us Dick! We are excited for everything you bring to the table!
Meet Dick Werner — Herreid Area Housing Development
When Dick Werner moved back to Herreid, South Dakota, in 2016, he saw a community facing a challenge familiar to many rural towns: the population was declining, and there simply weren’t enough homes for people who wanted to live there.
Herreid’s population had fallen from a peak of 767 people to just 413, while the local K–12 school had approximately 100 students. At the same time, the area’s largest employer had about 60 employees, but many of those employees lived outside of Herreid—and even outside the county. The problem wasn’t a lack of jobs or people wanting to live in the community. There simply weren’t enough houses.
Dick and other community leaders recognized that if Herreid was going to grow and remain a strong community, they needed to take action. That realization led to the creation of Herreid Area Housing Development (HAHD), a nonprofit focused on creating quality housing while strengthening the community as a whole.
Since completing its first housing project in 2017, HAHD has continued to address the community’s housing needs through a variety of projects and initiatives, including:
• Developing five additional spec homes
• Developing two twin-home projects
• Acquiring a four-plex
• Acquiring a 1970s-era Rural Development 8-plex
• Helping 18 families access existing grants and loans to rehabilitate their homes
• Acquiring and cleaning up numerous abandoned and dilapidated properties
• Acquiring and developing 13 lots on the north end of Herreid for future housing. Nine of those lots have already been developed with new homes, leaving four lots available
• Preparing to begin construction in September on a new triplex apartment complex, with all three units already secured and a waiting list. The approximately $1.1 million project has secured $800,000 in grants
• Securing approximately $1.3 million in grants and forgivable loans specifically for housing development
• Using HAHD’s 501(c)(3) status to help support fundraising for new playground equipment, pickleball courts, sports complex improvements, and swimming pool improvements
But the impact of HAHD's work extends beyond the number of homes built.
HAHD tracks the occupants of Herreid’s approximately 250 housing units, looking at the number of school-age children, workforce members, and retirees living in the community. When HAHD first began tracking this information, retirees represented the largest group of residents, followed by the workforce, with school-age children making up the smallest group. That trend has now changed. The workforce is currently the largest group, followed by school-age children and then retirees.
The community is seeing those changes reflected in its schools as well. Last year, Herreid’s school enrollment reached 138 students—a 33% increase from 10 years ago—and enrollment is expected to reach approximately 145 students at the beginning of this school year.
HAHD’s efforts have also helped bring significant outside investment into the community. Through grants, forgivable loans, donations, and other funding sources, the organization has helped leverage substantial investment in both housing and quality-of-life projects.
Today, Herreid’s population tracking shows approximately 452 residents, an increase from the 413 people counted when Dick returned in 2016. Based on current trends, Herreid is anticipating its first population increase in the 2030 Census since 1960—70 years.
Dick brings firsthand experience in turning a housing challenge into an opportunity for community growth. His experience in Herreid offers valuable insight into what rural communities can accomplish when local leaders identify a need, work together, and take action.
His story is a reminder that housing is about more than houses—it is about people, families, schools, businesses, and the future of an entire community.
📆 August 26th
📍 Burke Civic Center
⏰ 6:00pm
