Safe, affordable places to live are crucial to the growth and stability of Rural Arkansas. USDA Rural Development (RD) Arkansas partners with non-profits across the state to bring the dream of homeownership to those in low-income, under resourced and underserved communities.
For more than 10 years, HouseAboutit Community and Economic Development Agency has partnered with RD Arkansas to help rebuild and revitalize communities in rural Chicot, Jefferson and Pulaski Counties. The non-profit provides education, workforce training, technical assistance, community revitalization and training, and economic empowerment to rural Arkansans throughout the Delta Region.
“Our partnership with [RD Arkansas] has allowed us to work our mission ‘Bringing Positive Change to Rural Arkansas and the Delta Region’. We are making a difference in rural communities by working to improve the living conditions for low-income families,” said Susan Forte, HouseAboutit Executive Director. “It allows us the means to offer the people we serve a hand up in building, improving and living better lives.”
For the past few years the organization has served as a packager and partner for the USDA’s Section 504 Self-Help Housing Program and Section 502 Direct Loan Program. To date, the agency has helped clients with 20 Section 504 projects and 8 Section 502 applications.
“The need for decent, livable, and affordable homes is at an all-time high. Low-income families have to decide whether to buy food or repair their home. [The USDA Section 504 Program] is one of the best programs available to help with repairing homes that have health and safety issues or other needed repairs,” Forte said.
Sometimes the home loan application process can be daunting for people, but the HouseAboutit Team walks clients through the process to ensure their needs are met.
“For low-income families who want to own their home, we will hold their hand as they work through the application paperwork and are approved to build their new home,” Forte said. “Working as the middle person who understands USDA Rural Development Housing Programs has made a difference in the lives of the population that we serve in Rural Arkansas.”
Partnerships with organizations like HouseAboutit serve as a catalyst to reenergize Rural Arkansas.
“Susan and the HouseAboutIt team are important partners in improving the quality of life for rural Arkansans. Stable and affordable housing helps our small towns stay healthy and prosperous,” said Jill Floyd, State Director. “By helping rural families navigate the application process, they make homeownership more accessible which strengthens our communities.”
Partnership with USDA Rural Development is changing the landscape of rural Arkansas and the Delta Region, Forte said.
“[USDA Rural Development-Arkansas] support has made a visible impact in the lives of the families and improvement in the communities,” she said. “People now have the ability to make home improvements to make their homes more livable or build newly constructed homes; and because of our partnership, we are able to help them achieve their dreams.
For more information about HouseAboutit, visit https://www.houseaboutit.org/.
Click Here to Learn More About the Section 504 Home Repair Program
Click Here to Learn More About the 502 Direct Home Loan Program