When the NCK Home Ownership Program was launched a little more than a year ago in Cloud and Mitchell counties, homes started selling. Within 10 months, 26 homes — 16 in Mitchell and 10 in Cloud — had new owners who used the program.

In all, $3.2 million in properties sold. Of that amount, $261,000 was provided by NCK.

“It really was a catalyst to get things moving,” Debra Peters of the Beloitbased North Central Regional Planning Commission said this past week.

She hopes the program will produce similar results in Ellsworth and Lincoln counties, which joined the program in June as part of a pilot project to make home ownership more affordable in rural Kansas. Unlike other housing programs, participation is not based on income.

Peters was in the Ellsworth Golf Course meeting room June 5 to talk about the program, which is administered by the regional planning commission. She was joined by local real estate agents, bankers and others with an interest in Ellsworth County housing.

The program assists current and future residents by lowering the barriers of down payments and closing costs. It offers a combination of a zero percent down payment assistance loan of $10,000 and a closing cost grant of $2,000. The money also can be used for home improvements.

Purchases apply to homes with a value of at least $50,000 and funds are awarded to eligible buyers on a first come, first service basis.

The Dane G. Hansen Foundation provided the money to create the loan and grant pool, Peters said.

She said Ellsworth and Lincoln counties each have access to $100,000, which will provide funding for at least eight homes. Any money not spoken for by Aug. 31 will go into a common pot to be used on a first come, first serve basis by potential homeowners in both counties and Cloud and Mitchell counties.

Peters said the home ownership program is designed to appeal to first-time home buyers, benefit employers in the recruitment and retention of employees and provide an opportunity for alumni to return to north-central Kansas to be closer to family and friends.

In the case of Cloud and Mitchell counties, nearly 60 percent of home buyers attended high school in the planning commission’s 12-county region.

“That tells us people are moving back to the region because they like it,” Peters said.

Twenty-five percent came from outside the commission’s service area.

Peters said those numbers could translate into as many as 25 new students in the school systems over the next five years.

Stacie Schmidt, executive director of the Smoky Hill Development Corporation, said in an earlier interview that the home ownership program is a piece of the Ellsworth County housing puzzle. Over the years, the county has gone from a handful of properties with “for sale” signs to more than 50. A Missouri developer also has announced plans to build single-story rental home in the county.

County banks also are expected to benefit from the program. Financing must go through a bank with a physical presence in the planning commission’s territory.

“We want this program to generate local, conventional loans,” Peters said.

David Brownback of Citizens State Bank, which has locations in Ellsworth and Lincoln counties, said coming up with a down payment can be a major challenge for a potential home buyer. This program addresses that issue

“This is an awesome program,” he said.“I can see it being very popular.”

Applications are available at local banks or for more information call local real estate agents or Peters or Keegan Bailey, program coordinator, (785) 738-2218. Or visit www.ncrpc.org/services/homeownership/nck/