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USDA Celebrates National Homeownership Month

Name
Nikki Gillespie
Email
nicole.gillespie@usda.gov
Phone
(651) 788-5307
City
DES MOINES
Release Date

Activities and Events across the Nation to Spotlight Efforts to Help Rural Residents Realize the Dream of Homeownership

DES MOINES, Iowa, June 16, 2021 – Acting State Director for Rural Development in Iowa Darin Leach recognizes National Homeownership Month as part of a nationwide celebration to highlight U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) efforts to provide access to affordable housing for rural Americans.

“Safe, affordable housing is essential to the success of rural communities,” said Leach. “USDA has several housing programs in which it is committed to providing opportunities for rural homeownership and to help safely keep residents in their homes. Some of these programs are leveraged with funding through important partnerships that help to make this funding even more affordable.”

Since 1949, USDA has helped 4.7 million families and individuals buy homes in rural areas. USDA Rural Development supports rural homeownership through the following programs:

  • The Single Family Housing Direct Home Loan Program provides loans directly to families and individuals so they can buy or build homes in rural America. In its lifetime, this program has helped 2.2 million families and individuals purchase a home.
    • Since 2010, this program has helped nearly 2,800 individuals and families build or buy a new home in rural Iowa.
      • Stacy Ocheltree is a great example, as she recently became a homeowner after many months of hard work, a never-give-up attitude and a long-standing relationship with USDA Rural Development staff in Iowa. Her complete story will be featured at www.rd.usda.gov later this month.  
  • Through its Single Family Housing Guaranteed Loan Program, USDA has partnered with more than 4,000 private lending institutions, backing their loans to help nearly 2 million families and individuals buy homes in rural areas since the program was created in 1991.
    • In Iowa, USDA’s partnerships with local lenders have helped more than 24,400 families and individuals with homeownership since 2010.
    • The 1,334 individuals and families who have achieved homeownership so far in 2021 through this program’s private lending partnerships wouldn’t have been possible without these top lending institutions:
      • Iowa Bankers Mortgage Corp – assisted 292 individuals and families
      • Residential Mortgage Network – assisted 160 individuals and families
      • Lincoln Savings Bank – assisted 70 individuals and families
      • Central Bank – assisted 68 individuals and families
      • First Citizens Bank – assisted 66 individuals and families 
  • The Home Repair Loan and Grant Program provides loans and grants to help families and individuals repair and modernize homes, making them safer, healthier places to live. Since it started in 1950, the program has helped nearly 434,000 families improve the quality of their homes.
     
  • The Mutual Self-Help Housing Grant Program provides grants to qualified organizations to help them carry out local self-help housing construction projects. Through this program, USDA has worked with nearly 230 organizations to provide a unique opportunity for families and individuals to lower the overall purchase price of a new home by investing “sweat equity” into its construction.   

To learn more about USDA homeownership programs, please visit the Single Family Housing program webpage or contact a Rural Development office near you.

Under the Biden-Harris Administration, Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities, create jobs and improve the quality of life for millions of Americans in rural areas. This assistance supports infrastructure improvements; business development; housing; community facilities such as schools, public safety and health care; and high-speed internet access in rural, Tribal and high-poverty areas. If you’d like to subscribe to USDA Rural Development updates, visit our GovDelivery subscriber page. 

USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. In the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit www.rd.usda.gov/ia.  

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