Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced today that USDA is investing $4.8 million to help rural families repair and rehabilitate their homes.
“Many lower-income rural families have difficulty meeting their daily living expenses and often don’t have the ability to set money aside for housing upkeep and maintenance,” Vilsack said. “This USDA program provides grants for repairs such as the removal of health or safety hazards so rural residents can stay in their homes. In addition to preserving housing, this program can help people lower their housing costs through energy efficiency and weatherization improvements.”
USDA is making assistance available through the Housing Preservation Grant program. The Department provides financing to intermediaries such as local governments, public agencies, federally recognized Indian Tribes, non-profit organizations, and faith-based and community groups. These recipients distribute the grants to homeowners and owners of multi-family rental properties or cooperative dwellings who rent to low- and very-low-income residents. Funds are not provided directly to homeowners.
Rural Housing Service Administrator Tony Hernandez announced the grants on Vilsack’s behalf during a visit to Bedford, N.H.
In South Dakota, Neighborhood Housing Services of the Black Hills, Inc. is receiving a $50,000 grant to help eleven low-income families rehabilitate and repair their homes.
Through today’s announcement, USDA is providing grants for 107 projects in 46 states and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. View the list of recipients. Funding is contingent upon the recipients meeting the terms of their grant agreement.
Since the start of the Obama Administration, USDA has provided more than $43 million in Housing Preservation Grants that have leveraged almost $153 million to repair and rehabilitate nearly 11,000 homes and apartments in rural communities.
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.