The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development is awarding a $200,000 technical assistance grant to Community And Shelter Assistance Corporation (CASA of Oregon) to help rural residents own and manage their manufactured housing communities as nonprofit cooperatives announced State Director Vicki Walker today.
“By forming a cooperative, residents are able to purchase and operate the parks where they live,” said Walker. “Controlling the land under their homes enables residents to make their own decisions about infrastructure upgrades, health and safety improvements, and the reinvestment of profits to enhance their quality of life. As we celebrate National Cooperative Month this October, it is my pleasure to announce additional USDA funding for this effort.”
CASA of Oregon will use this grant to provide technical assistance and training to ensure the continued success of seven resident-owned manufactured housing communities in Gold Beach, Leaburg, Boardman, McMinnville, Idleyld, Dexter, and Redmond. CASA of Oregon will also use the grant to expand services to help additional resident groups successfully purchase and operate their manufactured housing parks with a focus on those that may otherwise face closure or are experiencing health and safety concerns.
By instituting a cooperative structure, residents of these communities become empowered to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of site management; address facility upgrade needs; preserve and enhance access to safe, affordable housing; and help stabilize the overall community.
Funding is being provided through USDA’s Rural Cooperative Development Grant (RCDG) Program, which supports nonprofits and higher education institutions that create and operate centers to help establish, expand, or operate rural businesses, especially cooperatives and mutually owned businesses. The USDA grant will leverage $70,320 in funding from CASA of Oregon. Funding is contingent upon the recipients meeting the terms of their grant agreements.
This grant was preceded by $147,200 in USDA funding to CASA of Oregon in 2013 and $121,030 in 2014 to support manufactured housing cooperatives. In addition, CASA of Oregon has worked with Rural Development over the past 27 years to develop over 1,300 units of affordable rural rental housing throughout the state.
Today’s award to CASA of Oregon is part of a nationwide announcement of 30 grants to help cooperatives strengthen their capacity to serve rural citizens and communities, help small businesses expand, and develop new market opportunities for rural farmers and ranchers. In all, USDA announced $5.8 million in grants for today’s recipients. These competitively awarded grants may be used for feasibility studies, strategic planning, leadership and operations training, and business plan development. Since the start of the Obama Administration, USDA has funded 230 cooperative grants totaling $44.4 million, which have benefited more than 2,600 businesses.