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Jennifer Emerling / There Is More Work To Be Done
Jennifer Emerling / There Is More Work To Be Done
Analysis: Rural Housing Programs in Decline
by Mike Feinberg & Joe Belden
Housing programs in USDA Rural Development appear to be on a glide path to elimination, says this analysis from advocates at the Housing Assistance Council. The Obama administration’s proposed budget for next year continues the downward funding trend.
Federal spending on affordable rural housing programs has been on a downward trend for a number of years that threatens to continue until the programs eventually fade away. The Obama administration seems to be seeking just such a fade out, thinking that housing groups will not notice. This has been underway quietly as the federal budget gets tighter and many worthy programs are cut. Sequestration and across-the-board cuts resulted in steep reductions in FY 2013.