USDA Rural Development under Secretary Lisa Mensah today announced grants to preserve and repair affordable housing for very-low- and low-income families living in rural areas.
The Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska is receiving its first housing preservation grant of $46,021 that will be matched by the Tribe to repair 13 owner-occupied homes for the Winnebago Tribe Seniors. Low- to very-low-income homeowners will be assisted with basic heating system components, air conditioning as required for health purposes, weatherization improvements and emergency health and safety repairs and improvements.
“Housing Preservation Grants are an excellent source of funding to help folks keep up a safe and energy-efficient home that is in good repair,” Mensah said. “This funding will go a long way toward helping maintain the value of rural residents’ homes and preserve the supply of safe, affordable housing in rural America.”
USDA is awarding $3.9 million in Housing Preservation Grants to 107 organizations in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and in every state except Montana and Washington.
The grants will renovate 966 rural housing units. They can be used to remove health and safety hazards, make homes more energy efficient, and modernize the units. Eligible recipients include local governments, public agencies, federally recognized Indian Tribes, nonprofit organizations and faith-based and community groups. They distribute the grants to homeowners and owners of multi-family rental properties or cooperative dwellings who rent to low- and very-low-income residents.
The organizations receiving the grants determine which local projects to support.
Funding for all awards is contingent upon the recipients meeting the terms of their grant agreement.
For more information on the Housing Preservation Grant program in Nebraska contact Multi Family Housing Specialist Jerry Pesek at 402-437-5566 or jerry.pesek@ne.usda.gov.
USDA has provided $51 million in Housing Preservation Grants since the start of the Obama Administration. These grants have leveraged more than $184 million to repair and rehabilitate nearly 13,000 homes and apartments in rural communities.
Since 2009, USDA Rural Development (@USDARD
) has invested nearly $13 billion to start or expand nearly 112,000 rural businesses; helped 1.1 million rural residents buy homes; funded nearly 9,200 community facilities such as schools, public safety and health care facilities; and helped bring high-speed Internet access to nearly 6 million rural residents and businesses. USDA also has invested $31.3 billion in 963 electric projects that have financed more than 185,000 miles of transmission and distribution lines serving 4.6 million rural residents. For more information, visit www.usda.gov/results.