HAC News: September 23, 2019

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News Formats. pdf

September 23, 2019
Vol. 48, No. 19

Senate committee approves FY20 funding for USDA and HUD, continuing resolution moves forward • HUD offers technical assistance for disaster-impacted cities under 40,000 • House passes rural rental preservation bill • HUD proposes regulations on income and assets for public housing and Section 8 • Community design awards announced • DJ LaVoy sworn in as Deputy Under Secretary for USDA Rural Development • Low-cost rental units show long-term decline in every state • White House homelessness recommendations include deregulation and policing • September 15 through October 15 is National Hispanic American Heritage Month • “Colonias Investment Areas – Texas” webinar set for September 26 • Need capital for your affordable housing project?

HAC News Formats. pdf

September 23, 2019
Vol. 48, No. 19

Senate committee approves FY20 funding for USDA and HUD, continuing resolution moves forward.

  • On September 19 the Senate Appropriations Committee passed FY20 funding bills for several departments, including USDA and HUD. After the full Senate approves the bills, differences between the Senate measures and those previously passed by the House will need to be resolved by conference committees. Because there is not enough time to complete the appropriations for all federal agencies before the new fiscal year begins on October 1, a continuing resolution is expected to fund the government through November 21 and avoid a shutdown. The House approved a CR, H.R. 4378, on September 19 and the Senate should vote on it the week of September 23. It includes a provision allowing maintenance of HUD Section 202 rental assistance, even if the necessary funds exceed the FY19 amount.
  • The Senate’s FY20 USDA bill would keep most rural housing programs at FY19 levels with increases to Section 521 Rental Assistance and Section 542 rural housing vouchers. The version approved by the House in June, on the other hand, increased several programs above FY19 levels, including Sections 514 and 515 as well as self-help housing and the MPR rental preservation program. Details are on HAC’s website. The Senate bill also includes $25 million for relocating ERS and NIFA to Kansas City, while the House bill would block the move.
  • The Senate’s HUD bill increases the department’s overall funding above its FY19 level, but rejects a number of increases included in the House’s bill. The Appropriations Committee voted 15-16 against inclusion of an amendment that would have reauthorized NAHASDA; the bill does fund the Native American housing programs for FY20.

HUD offers technical assistance for disaster-impacted cities under 40,000.

HUD’s Distressed Cities Technical Assistance program is designed to assist local governments of communities with populations under 40,000 that experienced a presidentially declared disaster in or after 2015. The program focuses on financial management, economic development (including affordable housing) and disaster recovery planning. Instructions for requesting TA are posted online.

House passes rural rental preservation bill.

On September 10 the House of Representatives passed H.R. 3620, the Strategy and Investment in Rural Housing Preservation Act. The Senate seems unlikely to consider the bill, which would strengthen USDA’s rental preservation efforts.

HUD proposes regulations on income and assets for public housing and Section 8.

Comments are due November 18 on a proposed rule to implement provisions of the Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act of 2016 that relate to income calculations and reviews for public housing and Section 8, with corresponding changes to the regs for HOME, the Housing Trust Fund, and the Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS program. Information contacts vary by program and are listed in the notice.

Community design awards announced.

Twenty-three communities from across the country were selected to join the Citizens’ Institute on Rural Design, a collaboration among HAC, the National Endowment for the Arts and buildingcommunityWORKSHOP. The partner towns, tribes, nonprofits and other organizations were selected in a national competition to receive assistance in addressing design and creative placemaking goals. Three communities – Millinocket, Maine; Pueblo of Laguna, New Mexico; and Athens, Ohio – will host multi-day design workshops that bring experts and locals together.

DJ LaVoy sworn in as Deputy Under Secretary for USDA Rural Development.

Donald “DJ” LaVoy, most recently the head of HUD’s Real Estate Assessment Center, was sworn in September 17 as Deputy Under Secretary for Rural Development at USDA. The Under Secretary position, eliminated by USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue and reinstated by the 2018 Farm Bill, remains vacant.

Low-cost rental units show long-term decline in every state.

Documenting the Long-Run Decline in Low-Cost Rental Units in the U.S. by State, a working paper from Harvard’s Joint Center for Housing Studies, looks at the reduction in low-cost rentals from 1990 to 2017. These homes were a declining share of the housing stock in every state, and all but a few states also had declines in the absolute number of low-cost units. The steepest drop occurred from 2012 to 2017. The paper reports a strong correlation at the state level between the extent of losses of low-cost rentals and rising housing cost burdens for low-income households.

White House homelessness recommendations include deregulation and policing.

A new report from the White House Council of Economic Advisers, The State of Homelessness in America, focuses on homelessness in major metro areas on the East and West coasts. It identifies the major causes of homelessness as high housing costs due to overregulation of housing markets, “tolerable conditions” including warm weather and policing policies, right-to-shelter policies offering “substitutes to permanent housing” and individual factors such as severe mental illness and low incomes. It criticizes past federal policies and expresses doubt whether homelessness has actually decreased since 2007 (as HUD has reported). Solutions offered include removal of regulatory barriers, expanded drug treatment, “an increased emphasis on serious mental illness,” support for police in promoting safe cities, and stronger encouragement for self-sufficiency.

Recent publications and media of interest

  • Income and Poverty in the United States: 2018 is an annual data report from the Census Bureau. The national median household income remained essentially the same in 2018 as in 2017, while the poverty rate fell by 0.5 percentage points to 11.8%. The drop in poverty was statistically significant for urban residents, but there was no statistically significant change for nonmetro or suburban residents.
  • New Partnership Addresses Affordable Housing in Rural Areas details how the South Dakota economy is benefitting from a $10 million partnership between Avery Health and the Rural Electric Economic Development Fund. These funds will go toward building quality workforce housing to help attract and retain skilled staff in all business sectors.
  • Rural References Bounce in and out of Democratic Debate, a Daily Yonder article, looks at the various ways contenders in the September 12 presidential debate touched on issues affecting rural America.
  • Small, Rural Markets Left Behind as Large Metros Struggle to Match Housing to Job Gains explains some results of rural housing markets’ and rural economies’ inability to rebound at the same rates as large metropolitan areas’ since the Great Recession (2007-2009). Before the recession housing and economic growth in rural areas were generally similar to those in large metropolitan areas, but now they are lagging in job creation and home value gains.
  • Something Special is Happening in Rural America, by writer Sarah Smarsh, argues that recent shift in public sentiment and increasing affordability challenges for large urban areas are indicators of a coming “brain gain” for rural areas. Smarsh, author of Heartland: A Memoir of Working Hard and Being Broke in the Richest Country on Earth, recently launched a new podcast, The Homecomers, focused on providing “a more accurate story of those ill-understood spaces [rural communities.]”

September 15 through October 15 is National Hispanic American Heritage Month.

“Colonias Investment Areas – Texas” webinar set for September 26.
HAC, in partnership with Fannie Mae, will hold a webinar presenting data and research on Colonias Investment Areas, a geographic concept developed to target strategies and opportunities for mortgage finance and resource investment in colonia communities along the southwest U.S. border. The September 26 session will focus on colonias in Texas. Recent webinars on colonias in New Mexico and Arizona are available on HAC’s YouTube channel. For more information, contact HAC staff, 404-892-4824.

Need capital for your affordable housing project?

HAC’s loan funds provide low interest rate loans to support single- and multifamily affordable housing projects for low-income rural residents throughout the U.S. and territories. Capital is available for all types of affordable and mixed-income housing projects, including preservation, farmworker, senior and veteran housing. HAC loan funds can be used for pre-development, site acquisition, site development and construction/rehabilitation. Contact HAC’s loan fund staff at hacloanfund@ruralhome.org, 202-842-8600.

Please note: HAC is not able to offer loans to individuals or families. Borrowers must be nonprofit or for-profit organizations or government entities (including tribes).

HAC News: September 9, 2019

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News Formats. pdf

September 9, 2019
Vol. 48, No. 18

Administration releases housing finance reform proposal • Congress to resume work on FY20 appropriations • House will consider rural rental preservation bill • USDA offers Community Facilities grants for disaster relief • Eligibility calculations for Section 504 repair loans and grants revised • Comments requested on economic development in distressed areas • Census Bureau hiring for help with 2020 Census • Fair market rents released • USDA extends manufactured housing pilots • Vermont incentivizes local and rural job creation • “Colonias Investment Areas – Texas” webinar set for September 26 • Need capital for your affordable housing project?

HAC News Formats. pdf

September 9, 2019
Vol. 48, No. 18

Administration releases housing finance reform proposal.

The Trump Administration’s proposed housing finance reform plan was released on September 5. In addition to the Treasury Department plan to release Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac from government conservatorship and limit the federal role in the housing market, a separate document presents a HUD plan for FHA and Ginnie Mae. The Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs has scheduled a September 10 hearing on “Housing Finance Reform: Next Steps.” HUD Secretary Ben Carson, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Mark Calabria will be witnesses and the hearing will be webcast live.

Congress to resume work on FY20 appropriations.

The week of September 9, after the House and Senate return from their August recess, the Senate Appropriations Committee will begin to consider funding bills for FY20, which starts on October 1, 2019. Earlier this year the House developed its 12 appropriations bills and passed 10 of them, though its numbers will need to be adjusted because the summer budget deal provided a lower amount for non-defense and a higher amount for defense than the House bills assumed. The House is expected to vote the week of September 16 on a continuing resolution carrying FY19 funding levels until late November or early December. Bloomberg reports the Administration has requested a number of “anomalies” – changes in FY19 provisions – to be included in a CR. No rural housing anomalies are listed, but the request does include authority for HUD to renew contracts for rental assistance to Section 202 properties for the elderly, as well as additional funding for the 2020 Census.

House will consider rural rental preservation bill.

The House of Representatives is scheduled to take up H.R. 3620, the Strategy and Investment in Rural Housing Preservation Act of 2019, on September 10, 11 or 12. The bill, which passed the House Financial Services Committee unanimously in July, would authorize the MPR and preservation technical assistance programs, authorize vouchers for tenants after a mortgage matures or is foreclosed (in addition to after prepayment), allow decoupling of Rental Assistance as a last resort, require USDA to develop a preservation plan and establish a stakeholders’ committee to advise USDA.

USDA offers Community Facilities grants for disaster relief.

Community Facilities grants will be awarded on a rolling basis to public bodies, nonprofits and tribes in rural areas impacted by FEMA-recognized natural disasters. For more information, contact a USDA Rural Development state office.

Eligibility calculations for Section 504 repair loans and grants revised.

USDA revisions to Handbook HB-1-3550, announced in Procedure Notice 527, change the methodology for determining eligibility for loan, grant and combination assistance. They also provide clarification to other program eligibility criteria including credit analysis, medical deductions, property considerations and construction contract considerations. The Section 504 program offers loans to low-income rural homeowners and grants to those who are age 62 or older. For more information, contact a local USDA Rural Development office.

Comments requested on economic development in distressed areas.

In connection with its work on the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council, the Commerce Department seeks recommendations on spurring economic development in Opportunity Zones and other distressed areas. Comments are due October 18. For more information, contact Mara Quintero Campbell, 202-482-5479.

Census Bureau hiring for help with 2020 Census.

The U.S. Census Bureau needs to hire hundreds of thousands of workers to complete the upcoming census. Temporary jobs include census takers, recruiting assistants, office staff and supervisory staff, with locations throughout the U.S. and Puerto Rico.

Fair Market Rents released.

HUD has posted Fair Market Rents for FY20, effective October 1, 2019. Prices are available at the county and zip code levels for efficiency, one-bedroom, two-bedroom, three-bedroom and four-bedroom units.

USDA extends manufactured housing pilots.

Two pilot programs are extended through the end of August 2020. One allows the Section 502 direct and guarantee programs to finance existing manufactured homes that are not already financed by USDA. The second reduces the required land lease term for energy-efficient homes in nonprofit communities. For more information related to Section 502 direct, contact Jeremy Anderson, USDA, 202-690-3971; related to Section 502 guaranteed, contact Kevin Smith, USDA, 517-883-6147.

Recent publications and media of interest

  • South Carolina Housing Needs Assessment estimates that high housing costs in the state cost a total of $8.4 billion in public assistance, private charity or personal deprivation. The report mentions that the housing crisis looks different in rural areas, where incomes are lower.
  • #MapMonday is a weekly social media series from the Research and Training Center on Disability in Rural Communities at the University of Montana. For a new map each week related to people living with disabilities in rural America, follow RTC:Rural on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.

Vermont incentivizes local and rural job creation.

The Remote Worker Grant Program, which offers remote workers as much as $10,000 in payments and incentives to relocate to Vermont, has seen greater than expected participation and engagement. Since January 2019 a total of 170 people have relocated to the state as part of this program (this number includes family members that moved with the workers). The Vermont Department of Economic Development is hoping to expand on this success by offering another incentive program aimed at creating local jobs, with higher payouts for jobs created in rural communities.

“Colonias Investment Areas – Texas” webinar set for September 26.
HAC, in partnership with Fannie Mae, will hold a webinar presenting data and research on Colonias Investment Areas, a geographic concept developed to target strategies and opportunities for mortgage finance and resource investment in colonia communities along the southwest U.S. border. The September 26 session will focus on colonias in Texas. Recent webinars on colonias in New Mexico and Arizona are available on HAC’s YouTube channel. For more information, contact HAC staff, 404-892-4824.

Need capital for your affordable housing project?

HAC’s loan funds provide low interest rate loans to support single- and multifamily affordable housing projects for low-income rural residents throughout the U.S. and territories. Capital is available for all types of affordable and mixed-income housing projects, including preservation, farmworker, senior and veteran housing. HAC loan funds can be used for pre-development, site acquisition, site development and construction/rehabilitation. Contact HAC’s loan fund staff at hacloanfund@ruralhome.org, 202-842-8600.

Please note: HAC is not able to offer loans to individuals or families. Borrowers must be nonprofit or for-profit organizations or government entities (including tribes).

HAC News: August 23, 2019

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News Formats. pdf

August 23, 2019
Vol. 48, No. 17

HUD proposes new rules for fail housing claims based on disparate impact • “Public charge” rule for immigrants takes effect October 15 • ROSS grants available for nonprofits, PHAs and tribes • At end of July, funding obligations for some rural housing programs lagging • Lawmakers seek input on honoring U.S. promises to Native peoples • Effective date delayed for changes to Section 502 construction-to-permanent guarantees • Research offers strategies to improve rural census participation for 2020 • HUD requests comments on physical inspection demonstration • Foundation prize will honor communities working towards healthier lives for all • “Colonias Investment Areas – Texas” webinar set for September 26 • Need capital for your affordable housing project?

HAC News Formats. pdf

August 23, 2019
Vol. 48, No. 17

HUD proposes new rules for fair housing claims based on disparate impact.

HUD proposes to change its regulations on the use of disparate impact to show housing discrimination has occurred even if it was not intentional. A new five-step process would make it more difficult to substantiate such a claim. Comments are due October 18. For more information, contact David H. Enzel, HUD, 202-402-5557. If possible, HAC will make its comments available online before the deadline.

“Public charge” rule for immigrants takes effect October 15.

A new regulation sets strict standards for how the Department of Homeland Security will determine whether an immigrant applying for admission to the U.S. or for citizenship is considered likely to become a “public charge” needing government assistance. For more information, contact Mark Phillips, DHS, 202-272-8377.

ROSS grants available for nonprofits, PHAs and tribes.

HUD’s Resident Opportunity and Self-Sufficiency Program funds service coordinators who help residents of public and Indian housing move towards economic independence. Applications are due October 15. For more information, contact ROSS-PIH@hud.gov.

At end of July, funding obligations for some rural housing programs lagging.

HAC’s monthly compilation of rural housing funding use shows that ten months into fiscal year 2019, which began with temporary appropriations and a 35-day federal government shutdown, some major rural housing programs are not using their funds as fast as they did in FY18. Programs with slower obligations include Section 502 guaranteed loans and Section 504 repair loans and grants. USDA has obligated $681 million of the $1 billion available for Section 502 direct loans, compared to $822 million at the same point last year, when the agency used the program’s full funding by the end of the fiscal year. Very low-income applicants have received about 35% of the loans so far and about 35% of the dollars obligated. Special authorizations to help use all Section 502 direct funds this year were issued in February and April.

Lawmakers seek input on honoring U.S. promises to Native peoples.

Rep. Deb Haaland (D-NM) and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) are developing a bill to be named the Honoring Promises to Native Nations Act, intended to implement recommendations from the 2018 U.S. Commission on Civil Rights report, Broken Promises: Continuing Federal Funding Shortfall for Native Americans. Input on the bill can be sent to HonoringPromises@mail.house.gov or HonoringPromises@warren.senate.gov by September 30.

Effective date delayed for changes to Section 502 construction-to-permanent guarantees.

Revisions to USDA’s regulation for Section 502 guaranteed single close loans, initially expected to be effective August 21, will now take effect October 1. For more information, contact Joaquin Tremols, USDA, 202-720-1465.

Research offers strategies to improve rural census participation for 2020.

Analysis from a research network in Mississippi indicates that census participation tends to be lower in rural places than in metro areas for a variety of reasons, even though the data is critical for allocating federal funds to communities. The piece also offers ideas for increasing participation, including word of mouth marketing and forming a local Complete Count Committee.

HUD requests comments on physical inspection demonstration.

HUD is asking for input on its new demonstration National Standards for the Physical Inspection of Real Estate, which will be used to test standards and protocols for assessing the physical conditions of housing assisted or insured by HUD (not including tenant-based or project-based vouchers). The NSPIRE demonstration will include approximately 4,500 properties nationwide. Comments are due October 21, and HUD says it will incorporate them into the demonstration. For more information, contact Daniel R. Williams, HUD, 202-475-8873.

Recent publications and media of interest

  • Shelterforce magazine’s summer issue focuses on rural housing and community development. Articles will be posted online over the next few months. To read them now, order a printed copy of the rural issue for $10.50 or subscribe to the magazine.
  • Rural Policy: ‘Here’s What We Need,’ Advocates Say shares ideas from rural leaders, including HAC’s David Lipsetz, about federal policy changes that would do the most good for rural America. Common themes in this Daily Yonder piece include increasing both dedicated funding and technical assistance, shifting the mindset from focusing on deficits to emphasizing assets and building partnerships.
  • American Indian Children Left Behind in Extreme Poverty reports that 17% of Native American children lived in families with incomes less than half the poverty level in 2017. The rate was 16% for African-American, 10% for Hispanic and 5% for non-Hispanic white children.

Foundation prize will honor communities working towards healthier lives for all.

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Culture of Health Prize defines health in “the broadest possible terms” and honors communities of all sizes, where entities collaborate to “give everyone a fair and just opportunity to reach their best possible health.” Applications are due November 4. For more information, contact info@cohprize.wisc.edu, 608-263-6983.

“Colonias Investment Areas – Texas” webinar set for September 26.
HAC, in partnership with Fannie Mae, will hold a webinar presenting data and research on Colonias Investment Areas, a geographic concept developed to target strategies and opportunities for mortgage finance and resource investment in colonia communities along the southwest U.S. border. The September 26 session will focus on colonias in Texas. Recent webinars on colonias in New Mexico and Arizona are available on HAC’s YouTube channel. For more information, contact HAC staff, 404-892-4824.

Need capital for your affordable housing project?

HAC’s loan funds provide low interest rate loans to support single- and multifamily affordable housing projects for low-income rural residents throughout the U.S. and territories. Capital is available for all types of affordable and mixed-income housing projects, including preservation, farmworker, senior and veteran housing. HAC loan funds can be used for pre-development, site acquisition, site development and construction/rehabilitation. Contact HAC’s loan fund staff at hacloanfund@ruralhome.org, 202-842-8600.

Please note: HAC is not able to offer loans to individuals or families. Borrowers must be nonprofit or for-profit organizations or government entities (including tribes).

USDA Rural Development Obligations FY 19 – July

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The Housing Assistance Council (HAC) presents this month’s report on Fiscal Year 2019 USDA Rural Housing program obligations.

As of the end of July, USDA obligated 87,281 loans, loan guarantees, and grants totaling about $12,445,800,643. This is $2,527,150,078 less than obligation levels from this time last year. At that time, there were 107,385 loans, loan guarantees, and grants obligated totaling $14,972,950,721.

The agency operated under several continuing resolutions and a 35-day government shutdown early in the fiscal year. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2019 was signed into law on February 15, 2019 which provided funding for the rest of the fiscal year.

Single Family Housing Program Highlights
The Section 502 Guaranteed loan program, the largest of the Single Family Housing programs, obligated $11,526,583,996 (78,041 loan guarantees) down from $13,918,207,676 (95,949 loan guarantees) last year.

For the Section 502 Direct program, loan obligations totaled $681,309,131 (4,272 loans), down from $822,239,509 (5,426 loans) this time last year. About 35 percent of the loan dollars went to Very low-income (VLI) applicants. VLI loans represented nearly 39 percent of the total number of Section 502 Direct loans.

The Section 504 Repair and Rehabilitation programs obligated 1,888 loans representing $11,606,210. Loan volume was down from this time last year (2,386 loans representing $14,649,289.) There were also about $18,047,886 (1,888 grants) obligated in the Section 504 grant program compared to $3,043,079 (3,428 grants) last year.

USDA’s Section 523 Self Help Housing Grant program funded 17 grants and contracts totaling $14,842,675 down from last year’s 21 grants and contracts totaling $21,100,841.

USDA has also funded 5 credit sales representing $402,961.

Multi-Family Housing Programs
USDA’s Section 538 Multifamily Housing obligated 65 loan guarantees totaling $116,218,079, down from last year’s 98 loan guarantees ($125,317,415.) In the Section 515 Rural Rental Housing program, there were 35 loans totaling $69,730,661 obligated compared to 16 loans totaling $19,555,407 last year. Obligations in the MPR program include 22 MPR loans totaling $116,537 and no grants compared to 15 loans and 2 grants representing $15,650,054 and $251,260 last year.

In the Farm Labor Housing programs, 5 loans and 2 grants have been funded totaling $3,587,261 and $1,400,000 respectively. Last year in July, 5 loans and 1 grant were obligated ($8,455,000 and $7,883,070, respectively.)

No Section 533 Housing Preservation grants have been obligated so far this year, compared to 2 grants last year totaling $251,260.

USDA obligated funds for 188,297 rental assistance units under the Section 521 Rental Assistance program totaling $978,913,760. This compares to about 193,148 units ($950,607,363) obligated same time last year. There were also 5,705 Rural Housing Vouchers totaling $25,042,177 compared to 5,526 vouchers representing $23,244,818 this time last year.

Download the combined document.

* The Rural Housing Service (RHS) monthly obligation reports are produced by the Housing Assistance Council (HAC) 1025 Vermont Ave., NW, Suite 606, Washington, DC 20005. The monthly figures derive from HAC tabulations of USDA –RHS 205c, d, and f report data. For questions or comments about the obligation reports, please contact Michael Feinberg at 202-842-8600 or michael@ruralhome.org.

HAC News: August 12, 2019

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News Formats. pdf

August 12, 2019
Vol. 48, No. 16

Spending deal signed into law. •Choice Neighborhoods Implementation grants offered • HUD proposes to make disparate impact discrimination claims more difficult •Baxley departs USDA, Allen retires • Home Depot Foundation and HAC support rural veterans and local nonprofits • HAC examines the definition of colonias • Prior approval was needed to move ERS and NIFA, says USDA Inspector General • HUD to appoint monitor to oversee Puerto Rico disaster funds • RuralSTAT • Exchange Programs Bring Urban and Rural America Together • Mortgage Experiences of Rural Borrowers in the United States: Insights from the National Survey of Mortgage Originations • Where Blue-Collar America is Strongest • Need capital for your affordable housing project?

HAC News Formats. pdf

August 12, 2019
Vol. 48, No. 16

Spending deal signed into law.

On August 2 President Trump signed H.R. 3877, the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2019, passed by the House on July 25 and the Senate on August 1. The measure raises the 2011 Budget Control Act’s spending caps for FY20 and 21, though the total for non-defense discretionary programs (which includes housing) is lower than the total approved by the House for FY20. The Senate will begin marking up its FY20 appropriations bills when it reconvenes after Labor Day.

Choice Neighborhoods Implementation grants offered.

Apply by November 4 for grants to revitalize severely distressed public and/or HUD-assisted housing properties. Eligible applicants are local governments or tribes and PHAs, nonprofits or for-profits that own HUD-assisted housing and apply jointly with local governments or tribes, whether they have received previous Choice Neighborhoods Implementation Grants or not. For more information, contact HUD staff.

HUD proposes to make disparate impact discrimination claims more difficult.

Politico obtained and published a proposal HUD has developed to change a 2013 regulation governing fair housing discrimination claims that are based on discriminatory impact without proof of discriminatory intent. The new provisions would require the charging party to prove several new aspects of a claim. The proposal is currently under review at OMB and is not officially available. When it is published in the Federal Register a 60-day comment period will begin.

Baxley departs USDA, Allen retires.

  • Joel Baxley, who was RHS Administrator and then Acting Assistant to the Secretary for Rural Development, has left USDA. It is not clear whether USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue will name another Acting Assistant or an Under Secretary for RD. Perdue eliminated the Under Secretary position, but the 2018 Farm Bill required it be reinstated. In February, when USDA announced Baxley’s move to the Acting Assistant position, it said Perdue and the White House were working to identify an Under Secretary candidate.
  • Joyce Allen, RHS’s Deputy Administrator for Multi-Family Housing, retired at the end of June. Nancie-Ann Bodell is serving as Acting Deputy Administrator.

Home Depot Foundation and HAC support rural veterans and local nonprofits.

The Home Depot Foundation, working with HAC, has awarded a total of $300,000 to ten local nonprofits around the country to build or preserve housing for veterans in rural America. HAC CEO David Lipsetz said, “Together we build the capacity of local organizations to assist more veterans across rural America. The enduring service and sacrifice of our nation’s service women and men earns them the right to be called heroes and to have a safe and decent place to call home.”

HAC examines the definition of colonias.

In a two-part webinar series produced in partnership with Fannie Mae, HAC provided an overview of its research and analysis on defining colonias communities in New Mexico and Arizona. Both the New Mexico and Arizona webinars are now available on HAC’s YouTube channel.

Prior approval was needed to move ERS and NIFA, says USDA Inspector General.

USDA’s Inspector General conducted a review and concluded that USDA has the legal authority to relocate the Economic Research Service and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, but congressional approval was required for USDA to expend funds for the relocation. USDA’s Office of General Counsel disagrees, arguing that the law requiring approval is unconstitutional, and says the department will not request congressional consent. Reps. Steny Hoyer (D-MD) and Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), who requested the IG investigation, issued a statement saying USDA must wait for approval.

HUD to appoint monitor to oversee Puerto Rico disaster funds.

HUD announced on August 2 it plans to appoint a Federal Financial Monitor to oversee the disbursement of disaster recovery funds to Puerto Rico, citing the territorial government’s “alleged corruption, fiscal irregularities and mismanagement.” Disaster funds for states impacted by recent storms will be released before funds for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

RuralSTAT. Between 2015 and 2017, approximately 37% of all small dollar home loans (less than $75,000) were originated in rural areas. For more data and information on mortgage lending in your community, visit HAC’s Rural Data Portal. Source: HAC tabulations of 2015-2017 Home Mortgage Disclosure Act Data.

Recent publications and media of interest

  • Exchange Programs Bring Urban and Rural America Together is an article about the importance of bridging the rural-urban gap through interactions between individuals. The story describes how the Rural-Urban Exchange program in Kentucky has helped people see they have more in common than they think they do.
  • Mortgage Experiences of Rural Borrowers in the United States: Insights from the National Survey of Mortgage Originations, an article in HUD’s Cityscape magazine, reports that in 2014 mortgage borrowers in counties with urban populations under 2,500 paid slightly higher interest rates than others, were less satisfied that their mortgage was the best for their needs, and were less confident or less knowledgeable about some details of mortgages.
  • Where Blue-Collar America is Strongest dispels the myth that all rural America is suffering economic distress. As the author notes, some of the biggest increases in incomes over the last decade or so have been in rural areas. The Plains states in particular have enjoyed high income and employment numbers. This growth, much of which is attributable to energy sector expansion, is often overlooked in favor of the narrative that rural areas are all on the decline.

Need capital for your affordable housing project?

HAC’s loan funds provide low interest rate loans to support single- and multifamily affordable housing projects for low-income rural residents throughout the U.S. and territories. Capital is available for all types of affordable and mixed-income housing projects, including preservation, farmworker, senior and veteran housing. HAC loan funds can be used for pre-development, site acquisition, site development and construction/rehabilitation. Contact HAC’s loan fund staff at hacloanfund@ruralhome.org, 202-842-8600.

Please note: HAC is not able to offer loans to individuals or families. Borrowers must be nonprofit or for-profit organizations or government entities (including tribes).

HAC News: July 26, 2019

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News Formats. pdf

July 26, 2019
Vol. 48, No. 15

Deal clears the way for FY20 funding •House committee approves disaster recovery bill • Updated, “banded” income limits posted for USDA single-family housing programs •Broadband increases market value of rural homes • Changes finalized for Section 502 construction-to-permanent loan guarantees • Labor Department suggests changes to H-2A farmworker program • RuralSTAT • Federal court tells FHA to delay restrictions on downpayment aid • Rural areas farthest from cities more likely to lose jobs since May 2018 • HAC is hiring • HAC and Fannie Mae to hold webinar on colonias in Arizona • HAC offers Section 502 packaging training for nonprofits, August 6-8 in Michigan • Need capital for your affordable housing project?

HAC News Formats. pdf

July 26, 2019
Vol. 48, No. 15

Deal clears the way for FY20 funding.
On July 25 the House approved H.R. 3877, the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2019. The Senate is expected to pass it during the week of July 29 and President Trump has said he will sign it. The measure raises the 2011 Budget Control Act’s spending caps for FY20 and 21 and suspends the public debt ceiling until July 31, 2021. Now that spending totals are established, Congress can proceed with its appropriations bills for fiscal year 2020, which begins October 1, 2019. The House has already passed funding bills for USDA and HUD. The Senate will begin marking up its bills in September after its August recess.

House committee approves disaster recovery bill.
The Reforming Disaster Recovery Act of 2019, H.R. 3702, would permanently authorize the federal government’s primary long-term resource for rebuilding after a disaster, the Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery program. The bill, passed unanimously by the House Financial Services Committee, is intended to help ensure housing recovery efforts are administered consistently, transparently, and with a priority for those most in need.

Updated, “banded” income limits posted for USDA single-family housing programs.
Implementing the regulation that adopts income banding nationwide for its single-family programs, USDA has posted new income limits online and incorporated them into its eligibility website.

Broadband increases market value of rural homes.
Based on a study of 887 “remote rural” U.S. counties, professors from Oklahoma State University and the University of Wisconsin Madison estimate that a 10% increase in the percentage of county residents with 200 kbps broadband access would create a $661 average increase in the housing value in that county. They project the increased housing value would result in increased property tax collections in remote rural counties that struggle to find funding for local services.

Changes finalized for Section 502 construction-to-permanent loan guarantees.
USDA has adopted changes it proposed last year for “single close” Section 502 guaranteed loans, including allowing lenders to charge a higher interest rate for the construction phase. It will also make single close loans available for the purchase and rehabilitation of existing homes. For more information, contact Kate Jensen, USDA, 503-894-2382.

Labor Department suggests changes to H-2A farmworker program.
The Department of Labor is proposing numerous changes to the regulations that govern employers’ use of the H-2A temporary visa program for farmworkers. Among the revisions are clarifications to the minimum standards required for H-2A worker housing, which must be provided by employers. DOL also hopes to streamline its process for reviewing employers’ applications. Comments are due September 24. For more information, contact Thomas M. Dowd, DOL, 202-513-7350.

RuralSTAT.
According to 2017 Home Mortgage Disclosure Act data, nearly 30% of all “high cost” home loans nationally were made in rural high need areas as identified under the Duty to Serve mandate for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. HAC provides more information on Duty to Serve and mortgage data online.

Federal court tells FHA to delay restrictions on downpayment aid.
After a ruling in an ongoing lawsuit, HUD has suspended the effective date of Mortgagee Letter 2019-06, which would have made it more difficult for government entities to provide downpayment assistance to homebuyers seeking Federal Housing Administration insurance. The Cedar Band of Paiutes and its mortgage agency, which filed the suit, announced on July 22 that the judge granted a preliminary injunction allowing current downpayment assistance guidelines to continue at least until a final determination is made in the case.

Rural areas farthest from cities more likely to lose jobs since May 2018.
A Daily Yonder analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics data found that major cities continue to account for most of job growth, with the central counties of major metropolitan areas gaining six out of 10 new jobs. Rural America accounted for 5.5% of the total increase.

HAC is hiring!
Housing Specialist: based primarily in the Southwest or Western U.S. to provide direct technical assistance, coaching and training to nonprofits, government agencies and others.
Portfolio Manager: based in DC to manage a portfolio of loans made to entities engaged in affordable housing activities in rural communities.
Both positions come with competitive salaries, generous benefits and the opportunity to work in a fun and mission-focused environment.

HAC and Fannie Mae to hold webinar on colonias in Arizona.
HAC, in partnership with Fannie Mae, will hold a webinar presenting data and research on Colonias Investment Areas, a geographic concept developed to target mortgage finance and resource investment in colonia communities along the southwest U.S. border. The August 7 webinar will focus on Arizona. For more information, contact HAC staff, 404-892-4824.

HAC offers Section 502 packaging training for nonprofits, August 6-8 in Michigan.
This three-day advanced course trains experienced participants to assist potential borrowers and work with RD staff, other nonprofits and regional intermediaries to deliver successful Section 502 loan packages. The training will be held in East Lansing, MI on August 6-8. For more information, contact HAC staff, 404-892-4824.

Need capital for your affordable housing project?
HAC’s loan funds provide low interest rate loans to support single- and multifamily affordable housing projects for low-income rural residents throughout the U.S. and territories. Capital is available for all types of affordable and mixed-income housing projects, including preservation, farmworker, senior and veteran housing. HAC loan funds can be used for pre-development, site acquisition, site development and construction/rehabilitation. Contact HAC’s loan fund staff at hacloanfund@ruralhome.org, 202-842-8600.

Please note: HAC is not able to offer loans to individuals or families. Borrowers must be nonprofit or for-profit organizations or government entities (including tribes).

USDA Rural Development Obligations FY 19 – June

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The Housing Assistance Council (HAC) presents this month’s report on Fiscal Year 2019 USDA Rural Housing program obligations.

As of the end of June, USDA obligated 74,991 loans, loan guarantees, and grants totaling about $10,659,333,101. This is $2,648,858,105 less than obligation levels from this time last year. At that time, there were 95,558 loans, loan guarantees, and grants obligated totaling $13,308,191,206.

The agency has been operating under several continuing resolutions and a 35-day government shutdown since the beginning of the fiscal year. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2019 was signed into law on February 15, 2019 which provided funding for the rest of the fiscal year.

Single Family Housing Program Highlights
The Section 502 Guaranteed loan program, the largest of the Single Family Housing programs, obligated $9,898,895,099 (67,456 loan guarantees) down from $12,430,479,360 ( 85,738 loan guarantees) last year.

For the Section 502 Direct program, loan obligations totaled $570,541,542 (3,579 loans), down from $674,685,223 (4,500 loans) this time last year. About 35 percent of the loan dollars went to Very low-income (VLI) applicants. VLI loans represented nearly 40 percent of the total number of Section 502 Direct loans.

The Section 504 Repair and Rehabilitation programs obligated 1,611 loans representing $9,790,531. Loan volume was down from this time last year (2,074 loans representing $12,606,413 million.) There were also about $13,467,007 (1,611 grants) obligated in the Section 504 grant program compared to $2,815,882 (3,073 grants) last year.

USDA’s Section 523 Self Help Housing Grant program funded 14 grants and contracts totaling $13,890,675 down from last year’s 17 grants and contracts totaling $18,944,693.

USDA has also funded 5 credit sales representing $402,961.

Multi-Family Housing Programs
USDA’s Section 538 Multifamily Housing obligated 59 loan guarantees totaling $102,636,987, down from last year’s 87 loan guarantees ($111,684,926.) In the Section 515 Rural Rental Housing program, there were 30 loans totaling $44,551,701 obligated compared to 16 loans totaling $19,555,407 last year. Obligations in the MPR program include 22 MPR loans totaling $116,537 and no grants compared to 15 loans and 2 grants representing $15,650,054 and $251,260 last year.

In the Farm Labor Housing programs, 5 loans and 2 grants have been funded totaling $3,587,261and $1,400,000 respectively. Last year in June, 5 loans and 1 grant were obligated ($7,055,000 and $3,000,000, respectively.)

No Section 533 Housing Preservation grants have been obligated so far this year, compared to 2 grants last year totaling $251,260.

USDA obligated funds for 156,173 rental assistance units under the Section 521 Rental Assistance program totaling $809,159,791. This compares to about 192,696 units ($948,701,481) obligated same time last year. There were also 4,750 Rural Housing Vouchers totaling $21,058,331 compared to 5,025 vouchers representing $21,096,088 this time last year.

Download the combined document.

* The Rural Housing Service (RHS) monthly obligation reports are produced by the Housing Assistance Council (HAC) 1025 Vermont Ave., NW, Suite 606, Washington, DC 20005. The monthly figures derive from HAC tabulations of USDA –RHS 205c, d, and f report data. For questions or comments about the obligation reports, please contact Michael Feinberg at 202-842-8600 or michael@ruralhome.org.

Picking Up the Pieces: HAC’s Natural Disaster Guide

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Picking Up the Pieces - CoverWhen a disaster strikes a rural area, one of the most serious problems may be a lack of information about resources and assistance available for recovery efforts. HAC’s guide, Picking Up the Pieces: Restoring Rural Housing and Communities After a Disaster, is intended to help survivors and local organizations identify resources to rebuild their homes and communities. This report emphasizes housing assistance.

HAC News: July 12, 2019

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News Formats. pdf

July 12, 2019
Vol. 48, No. 14

Rural rental preservation bill passes House committee unanimously • HUD’s mixed-status families proposal receives comments and analysis • USDA offers funds for farmworker housing and issues new guidance on renting to H-2A workers • Funding available to provide housing and services for victims of human trafficking • Census to proceed without citizenship question • Legality of ERS/NIFA relocation challenged • Deadlines extended for mortgage data comments • Affordable rental housing significantly further out of reach now than in 1989 • RuralSTAT • OMB publishes 2019 Compliance Supplement for federal audits • Unsheltered and Uncounted: Rural America’s Hidden Homeless • Americans in the Most Financially Distressed Zip Codes are Trapped in a ‘Really Troubling’ Catch-22 • The Education Deserts of Rural America • 2019 Kids Count Data Book • Rural America Faces Housing Shortage. How One Town is Addressing It • Rural Electrification 2.0: The Transition to a Clean Energy Economy • HAC is hiring! • HAC and Fannie Mae to hold webinars on colonias in New Mexico and Arizona • HAC offers Section 502 packaging training for nonprofits, August 6-8 in Michigan • Need capital for your affordable housing project?

HAC News Formats. pdf

July 12, 2019
Vol. 48, No. 14

Rural rental preservation bill passes House committee unanimously.

The Strategy and Investment in Rural Housing Preservation Act, H.R. 3620, was approved by the House Financial Services Committee in a 57-0 vote on July 11. Introduced by Rep. William Lacy Clay (D-MO) and Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO), the bill would authorize the MPR and preservation technical assistance programs, authorize vouchers for tenants after a mortgage matures or is foreclosed (in addition to after prepayment), allow decoupling of Rental Assistance as a last resort, require USDA to develop a preservation plan, and establish a stakeholders’ committee to advise USDA.

HUD’s mixed-status families proposal receives comments and analysis.

HUD received nearly 29,000 comments on its proposed rule that would require landlords to evict tenants whose immigration status makes them ineligible for aid, even if other members of the family are eligible. HAC provided comments opposing the regulation. Analysis by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities found that 95% of those who would be impacted by the rule are people of color, including 85% who are Latinx, 56% female, and 53% children. Another proposed change that would require tenants to verify their citizenship or immigration status would impact 9 million citizens currently receiving HUD rental assistance, 72% of them people of color, 39% children and 17% seniors. The Center for Migration Studies estimates up to 11.5 million people could lose eligibility for housing assistance under the proposal.

USDA offers funds for farmworker housing and issues new guidance on renting to H-2A workers.

Nonprofits, tribes and government entities are eligible to submit pre-applications for Section 514 loans and Section 516 grants to develop off-farm housing for farmworkers. The deadline is August 30. USDA has also published an Unnumbered Letter dated May 30, 2019 that replaces a July 5, 2018 UL and provides information about allowing farmworkers with H-2A visas to live in Section 514/516 housing. The new UL includes more details than the 2018 version. For more information, contact a USDA RD state office.

Funding available to provide housing and services for victims of human trafficking.

HUD and the Department of Justice will make grants to nonprofits, for-profits, local or state governments and tribes to provide safe housing and specialized services to assist victims of human trafficking. Applications are due October 30. For more information, contact Sherri L. Boyd, HUD.

Census to proceed without citizenship question.

On June 11, President Trump issued an Executive Order instructing federal agencies to provide the Commerce Department any data they have that might help determine numbers of citizens and non-citizens. The order says the Supreme Court’s recent decision questioning the Administration’s rationale for including a citizenship question on the 2020 Census left “no practical mechanism” for making the question part of the census. It also states that obtaining accurate data on total numbers of citizens and non-citizens “has nothing to do with enforcing immigration laws against particular individuals” and records will continue to be confidential.

Legality of ERS/NIFA relocation challenged.

Politico reports that NBL Associates, the landlord that leases Washington, DC space to USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture, filed a formal complaint (subscription required) on June 28 with the Government Accountability Office. NBL charges that USDA’s search for new space for NIFA and the Economic Research Service violates federal procurement law. It argues the process should begin again and should include the DC area. USDA has not changed its plans to move employees to temporary office space in Kansas City beginning by August 1, but it did change its deadline to August 7 rather than July 7 for bids from building owners in the Kansas City area.

Deadlines extended for mortgage data comments.

In May, CFPB requested comments on two proposals that could limit available Home Mortgage Disclosure Act data. The deadline for input on data points that are currently collected was July 8 but has been changed to October 15. The bureau also announced it will reopen the comment period on some aspects of a proposed rule to exempt lenders that originate small numbers of mortgages, but the official document has not yet appeared in the Federal Register.

Affordable rental housing significantly further out of reach now than in 1989.

Out of Reach 2019 marks the 30th anniversary of this National Low Income Housing Coalition report. In the late 1980s housing assistance reached only one in three eligible households, but today that figure is fewer than one in four. The report’s interactive site provides data for every county, state, and metro area.

RuralSTAT.

More than 3.5 million rural workers are employed in the manufacturing sector. Manufacturing comprises 14% of rural jobs compared to 10% nationally. To learn more about industry and employment in your community visit HAC’s Rural Data Portal.

OMB publishes 2019 Compliance Supplement for federal audits.

The annual supplement to OMB’s Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards applies to audits of entities that use any of a lengthy list of federal housing programs.

Recent publications and media of interest

  • Unsheltered and Uncounted: Rural America’s Hidden Homeless, a National Public Radio story, examines the growing problem of rural homelessness, where challenges in getting accurate counts still persist. Additionally, according to organizations working with the rural homeless in Kentucky, people are now less likely to be doubling up in crowded houses and more likely to sleep outdoors or in cars.
  • Americans in the Most Financially Distressed Zip Codes are Trapped in a ‘Really Troubling’ Catch-22 reports on an Economic Innovation Group analysis that found the most distressed zip codes are concentrated in the Southeast, rural West, and urban centers in the Northeast and Midwest, places that have the country’s most persistent pockets of really entrenched poverty. Rural areas are projected to never fully recover from the Great Recession and a lack of job opportunities continues to make rural areas less appealing places to live, the article says.
  • The Education Deserts of Rural America notes that the high-school education gap between urban and rural students has decreased but the college-completion gap has widened. (The author uses Economic Research Service data.) Rural students often have to travel greater distances than their urban peers to attend college, limited broadband access eliminates online education as an option, and many states have disinvested in public higher education.
  • 2019 Kids Count Data Book is the 30th edition of the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s compilation of figures. The foundation reports that 11 of the 16 areas of child well-being it tracks have improved since 1990, though housing cost burden rates increased. Racial and ethnic disparities persist. Data are provided for the U.S. and each state.
  • Rural America Faces Housing Shortage. How One Town is Addressing It looks at how a town in Nebraska and other rural communities are addressing the need for more affordable housing, especially workforce housing. The piece quotes HAC CEO David Lipsetz and references HAC’s research on the looming rural rental housing crisis.
  • Rural Electrification 2.0: The Transition to a Clean Energy Economy reports that while many rural areas in the United States provide the infrastructure for clean energy, the power generated is not used locally. Rural electric cooperatives derive two-thirds of their energy from fossil fuels. The report authors argue that the decreasing cost of producing wind- and solar-powered energy makes the transition to renewable resources more affordable and makes economic sense in the long run.

HAC is hiring!

Housing Specialist: based primarily in the Southwest or Western U.S. to provide direct technical assistance, coaching and training to nonprofits, government agencies and others.

Portfolio Manager: based in DC to manage a portfolio of loans made to entities engaged in affordable housing activities in rural communities.

Both positions come with competitive salaries, generous benefits and the opportunity to work in a fun and mission-focused environment.

HAC and Fannie Mae to hold webinars on colonias in New Mexico and Arizona.

HAC, in partnership with Fannie Mae, will hold webinars in July and August presenting data and research on Colonias Investment Areas, a geographic concept developed to target mortgage finance and resource investment in colonia communities along the southwest U.S. border. A webinar on July 17 will focus on New Mexico, and one on August 7 will focus on Arizona. For more information, contact HAC staff, 404-892-4824.

HAC offers Section 502 packaging training for nonprofits, August 6-8 in Michigan.

This three-day advanced course trains experienced participants to assist potential borrowers and work with RD staff, other nonprofits and regional intermediaries to deliver successful Section 502 loan packages. The training will be held in East Lansing, MI on August 6-8. For more information, contact HAC staff, 404-892-4824.

Need capital for your affordable housing project?

HAC’s loan funds provide low interest rate loans to support single- and multifamily affordable housing projects for low-income rural residents throughout the U.S. and territories. Capital is available for all types of affordable and mixed-income housing projects, including preservation, farmworker, senior and veteran housing. HAC loan funds can be used for pre-development, site acquisition, site development and construction/rehabilitation. Contact HAC’s loan fund staff at hacloanfund@ruralhome.org, 202-842-8600.

Please note: HAC is not able to offer loans to individuals or families. Borrowers must be nonprofit or for-profit organizations or government entities (including tribes).

Snapshots of Rural Data

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Rural America is a vast and diverse place, with a character all its own. This page includes infographics from Rural Voices Magazine and HAC’s publications which tell a small story in data about a particular slice of rural America.

Duty to Serve Infographic

Duty to Serve in Rural America

PDF | Image

The Duty to Serve program requires the GSEs to help direct investment toward vulnerable people and places. How does that impact rural areas?

demographics infographic 2019

The Demographics of Rural America

PDF | Image

Learn a little bit more about the people of rural America who make up roughly one fifth of the US population.

cra infographic 2019

The Community Reinvestment Act in Rural America

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The Community Reinvestment Act (CRA), adopted in 1977, has been a boon to urban community development. How does it work in rural areas?

homeownership infographic 2019

Homeownership in Rural America

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Rates of homeownership in rural areas are generally higher than in urban areas, but many still face challenges.

rv-fall-2018-infogrpahic

The Digital Divide in Rural America

Broadband internet access and adoption in rural areas lags behind that of metropolitan areas.

rv-may-2018-infographic

Fair Housing in Rural America – By the Numbers

This infographic reveals trends in rural fair housing complaints as reported from HUD’s FHEO filed cases data, including a look at the number of complaints per year, geography, and the most prevalent complaints by county.

American and Alaska Native (AIAN) Communities at a Glance Infographic

American and Alaska Native (AIAN) Communities at a Glance

A look at the geographic distribution and unique mortgage lending experiences of American and Alaska Native Communities.

Ruralities: The Changing Face of Rural America

Ruralities: The Changing Face of Rural America

A set of maps demonstrate the ways rural America’s demographics and housing are changing.

The Complicated Picture of Rural Homelessness

The Complicated (& largely unknown) Picture of Rural Homelessness (Infographic)

It is often difficult to quantify the number of homeless people who live in rural areas. Here is a look at some of the information we know about this vulnerable population.

rvsummer2015-infographic Page 2

Celebrating 50 Years of helping families help themselves.(8.5″ X 11″ printable pdf)

Celebrating 50 Years of helping families help themselves.(25.5″ X 11″ original document)

Celebrate the accomplishments of USDA’s Self-Help housing program during the 50 years since its founding.

rvspring15-infographic

Mortgage Lending and Access in Rural America

Rural communities have different experiences when it comes to accessing and using mortgage markets. This infographic provides a window into some of those experiences.

rv-se-infographic-pira

Poverty in Rural America

Approximately 45 million Americans, or 15 percent of the population, had incomes below the official poverty rate in 2012. In rural America, the poverty rate is above 17 percent with more than 10 million people living in poverty.

housing-crisis-in-rural-america-web-small

The housing crisis and its wake in rural America– (Interactive Prezi)

What was the impact of the housing crisis in rural America?

childrenandyouthmap

Children & Youth in Rural America – (Interactive Prezi)

aging-rural-america-map

An Aging Rural America (jpg)
MAP – A Demographic Portrait of Seniors in Rural America

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50 Years for Rural America

Over 50 years HAC has worked in every U.S. state and the territories. Learn more about what our work means for rural communities.

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