Programs to Help People Buy, Build, Repair and Rent Homes in Rural, Tribal and Underserved Communities
CHAMPAIGN, Ill., June 2, 2022 – Today, during the first full week of June, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development State Director for Illinois Betsy Dirksen Londrigan kicked off National Homeownership Month. As part of this nationwide celebration, USDA is highlighting programs that help people in rural and underserved areas buy, build and repair affordable homes and to pay their rent in America’s smallest towns and communities.
“Expanding opportunities for homeownership strengthens rural communities and helps families and individuals build generational wealth and achieve financial stability,” Dirksen Londrigan said. “Well-built, energy efficient, affordable housing is essential to the vitality of rural communities. Our small towns throughout Illinois want residents to be able to bloom where they are planted and too many times, lack of affordable housing forces unwanted relocation. Through single family, multi-family, rental assistance, home repair and other programs, USDA Rural Development is here to improve rural livability in the United States.”
This month, Rural Development is highlighting the ways that USDA has invested nearly $169 million to help 1,671 families and individuals in Illinois’ rural communities buy, repair and build homes through USDA Rural Development’s single family housing programs.
In addition, USDA works to increase access to affordable multifamily rental housing opportunities in rural America. Rural Development is currently helping nearly 260 tenants in Illinois afford to pay their rent through rental assistance. This assistance ensures low-income and elderly tenants pay no more than 30% of their income in rent. For more information, visit Multifamily Housing Programs | Rural Development (usda.gov). For a listing of available rural rental properties in Illinois that are eligible for USDA’s rental assistance and tenant voucher programs, visit http://rdmfhrentals.sc.egov.usda.gov/RDMFHRentals/select_state.jsp.
USDA is also highlighting ways it is working with lenders and community partners to open the door to homeownership for rural Americans who have been unserved or underserved for far too long.
For example, here in Illinois, USDA wouldn’t be able to assist as many families and individuals with affordable homeownership through the Single Family Housing Guaranteed Loan Program without the help of our private lending partnerships. So far in fiscal year 2022, USDA has guaranteed the loans of 277 families and individuals – an investment of nearly $28 million – in partnership with the following private lending institutions:
- Flat Branch Mortgage, Inc.
- First MID Bank & Trust, N.A.
- Peoples National Bank
- Community Bank Mortgage Group
- Flanagan State Bank
USDA is hosting events across the nation to showcase affordable housing programs for lenders, community partners, families and individuals. USDA’s single-family housing programs are:
- 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.
- The Single Family Housing Guaranteed Loan Program enables USDA to partner with private lending institutions, backing their loans to help families and individuals buy homes in rural areas.
- The Home Repair Loan and Grant Program provides loans and grants to help families and individuals repair their homes to make them safer, healthier places to live.
- The Mutual Self-Help Housing Grant Program provides grants to qualified organizations to help them carry out local self-help housing construction projects.
Visit the Single Family Housing program webpage, email meleah.smith@usda.gov or call (217) 403-6226 to learn more about USDA homeownership programs near you.
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 Wisconsin Rural Development updates, visit our GovDelivery subscriber page.
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