Rural Issues
Jennifer Emerling/ There Is More Work To Be Done
Rural Housing Supply
Rural America needs more housing.
Our homes are the foundation of strong communities. When homes are affordable and healthy, families can save and build wealth, seniors can age in place, and kids can flourish at school. But right now, there’s an affordable housing crisis in rural America. Over 6 million rural Americans live in housing that’s inadequate. And almost half of rural renters can’t afford their homes.
Unique rural challenges complicate efforts to address the issue.
Rural communities face unique barriers to affordable housing. Rural housing developers need more capacity to build homes. Construction costs have drastically increased. And often the nearest electrician, home inspector, or construction supplier may be hundreds of miles away. Loans are harder to get and more expensive. And while some federal funding targets rural needs, many national programs are designed with big cities and suburbs in mind.
Local solutions from local organizations
The good news is that rural communities are hard at work, finding innovative ways to collaborate and mitigate their greatest housing challenges. By providing additional resources, funding opportunities, and tailored policies, we can empower rural areas to overcome barriers and create more affordable housing options. They just need more support.
Build capacity and invest in rural organizations.
At HAC, we recognize the importance of affordable housing in rural America. We are actively working to address the unique challenges faced by rural communities by providing capacity building resources to housing developers, advocating for increased federal funding and policy changes, and fostering collaboration among stakeholders. Through our initiatives, we aim to empower rural communities to overcome the affordable housing crisis and create sustainable, thriving neighborhoods.