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USDA Rural Development Sets April 12th Application Deadline for 2016 Farm Labor Housing Program

Name
Darin Leach
City
Des Moines
Release Date

The application deadline for funding offered through USDA Rural Development’s Farm Labor Housing program this year will be Tuesday, April 12th. This USDA loan and grant program provides affordable financing to develop housing options for year-round and migrant or seasonal farm laborers.

New this year, USDA Rural Development is working with Community Resources and Housing Development Corporation to provide applicants with free technical assistance as they develop housing projects for agricultural workers in their areas. This technical assistance is available to communities of all sizes, community development corporations, and housing authorities free of charge and can help projects from the pre-application phase through construction, including rent-up and management.

Interested applicants are encouraged to take advantage of this free technical assistance to develop a competitive application and an application workshop is being tentatively planned for Tuesday, February 23rd in Kansas City. 

Types of eligible applicants are farmers, family farm corporations, nonprofit organizations, as well as most state and local government entities. Housing occupants must meet the definition of agricultural labor.

Last year $26.6 million was available nationwide for USDA Rural Development’s Farm Labor Housing Program.  Program funding levels are expected to be similar in 2016.

All program applications must be submitted to USDA Rural Development by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, April 12th.

Please contact Mary Beth Juergens, USDA Rural Development Housing Program Director in Iowa at mary.juergens@ia.usda.gov or Jo Uteidt with Community Resources and Housing Development Corporation at jo@affordablehousingconsultants.org with any questions or for more information about the application workshop or process.

Application requirements include such things as a market study specific to regulations, site control, letter from State Historic Preservation Office, and preliminary site design, so early planning is encouraged.

More information on USDA Rural Development’s Farm Labor Housing program including the 2016 Notice of Solicitation of Applications (NOSA) and application process can be found at www.rd.usda.gov keyword search Farm Labor Housing.

USDA Rural Development’s funding continues to have a dramatic impact on rural communities across Iowa.  Since 2009, USDA Rural Development has invested $4 billion on essential public facilities, small and emerging businesses, water and sewer systems, and housing opportunities for Iowa families.

USDA Rural Development can help rural communities and regions grow and prosper by offering a variety of financial and technical assistance programs that encourage the development of strong community and economic development strategies.

This past year USDA Rural Development’s investment in Iowa helped create or retain more than 1,000 jobs, aided 2,400 families in buying their own homes and assisted more than 60 communities as they made improvements to their facilities, services and infrastructure. 

Contact USDA Rural Development

For more information about finance programs available through USDA Rural Development, please call (515) 284-4663 or visit the agency’s web site at www.rd.usda.gov/ia.

USDA Rural Development has 11 offices across the state to serve the 1.7 million Iowans living in rural communities and areas.  Office locations include a State Office in Des Moines, along with Area Offices in Albia, Atlantic, Humboldt, Indianola, Iowa Falls, Le Mars, Mount Pleasant, Storm Lake, Tipton and Waverly.

President Obama’s plan for rural America has produced historic investment in rural communities. Under the President’s leadership, these investments in housing, community facilities, businesses and infrastructure have strengthened America’s small towns and cities and helped improve the nation’s economy.