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USDA Official Welcomes New Homeowner to Dexter, New York

Name
Candice Celestin
City
Watertown
Release Date

USDA Loan Helps a Single Father of Six Children Purchase a New Home

USDA Rural Development Rural Housing Service Administrator, Tony Hernandez  hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony today  to welcome Russell Carpenter and his six children into their new home in Dexter. Carpenter received financial assistance through USDA Rural Development’s Single Family Housing Program.

“Expanding and preserving homeownership is a major part of the foundation for a stronger, more prosperous rural America”, said Hernandez.  “Mr. Carpenter has a beautiful new house that his family can call home - for years to come.”

For more than 60 years, USDA has worked to increase homeownership opportunities for rural families and individuals by providing direct loans and guarantees of private lender funds to low- and moderate-income rural residents. Carpenter borrowed $177,900 through USDA’s Direct Housing Program to purchase land and build his home.

Yesterday Mr. Hernandez served as a panelist and presenter at the NYS Rural Housing Coalition’s 35th Annual Affordable Housing & Community Development Conference in Oswego. Housing not-for-profits, lenders, multi-family housing property managers and owners spoke with Hernandez about USDA programs and the success, challenges and opportunities that rural New Yorkers face.

Following the housing conference, Hernandez visited with residents of Bayshore Apartments in Brewerton. The owners expended more than two million dollars for a complete rehabilitation project through Rural Development’s Multi-Family Housing Preservation and Revitalization program. This 162-unit complex provides safe, reliable and affordable housing for rural residents in the Brewerton area.

Hernandez also oversees USDA’s Community Facility Program, a USDA program dedicated to improving the quality of facilities in rural communities.  While in New York, Hernandez assisted volunteers at the North Country Christian Church Soup Kitchen to provide meals to residents of rural northern Oswego and southern Jefferson Counties. In 2009, Rural Development awarded the kitchen $15,000 to replace the roof. The soup kitchen just celebrated its tenth anniversary and will soon serve its 90,000th meal.

  For more information on USDA Rural Development’s housing programs, please contact the Rural Development Watertown office at (315) 782-7289 ext. 4. The Watertown office services Jefferson, Lewis and Oswego counties.

   President Obama's historic investments in rural America have made our rural communities stronger. Under his leadership, these investments in housing, community facilities, businesses and infrastructure have empowered rural America to continue leading the way – strengthening America's economy, small towns and rural communities.