Rural Voices

Special Edition 2011: Rural Housing Programs That Work

Access a pdf version of Rural Voices.

Features

USDA Housing Programs:

Expand Homeownership. By providing affordable mortgages to low- and very low-income households, USDA Sections 502 and 523 increase homeownership rates beyond what the private market will support.

  • USDA Housing Programs have Countless Benefits, by Neal Gibson, NRHA
  • USDA Funding Helps Put an End to the Cycle of Poverty In Rural Colorado, by Brittnee Wood, CRHDC
  • A Chance at Homeownership, by Tom Sommerville, HRWC
  • Building Sustainable Assets through Homeownership, by Dana Cleary, CHISPA

Promote Affordability. The low rates of foreclosure for self-help and other USDA-financed homes show that USDA housing programs provide truly affordable mortgages.

  • Bringing Down Housing Costs in Hawaii, by Claudia Shay, SHHCH
  • Innovating to Affordability, by Mark Kvammen, NEICAC

Create Jobs. Section 502 funds support local businesses that sell materials, construction workers, plumbers, electricians, and others who depend on housing development for their livelihood.

  • States Recognize the Benefit of USDA Housing Programs, by Jill Lordan, NCALL
  • Supporting Local Businesses in Kentucky, by Wilma Kelley, BHDC
  • Getting the Economic Ball Rolling , by Kimberly Miller, UHDC.

Stabilize Families and Communities. Homeownership benefits families through a more stable environment for children and more investment in the surrounding community; particularly if the whole block help build one another’s home.

  • With Drive and Determination, by Becky Reynolds, Little Dixie CAA
  • Finding a Way Home, by David Ferrier, CHIP
  • Building Homes and Communities in America’s Breadbasket, by Tom Collishaw, SHE