Wisconsin United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) State Director Frank Frassetto kicked off National Homeownership Month by highlighting USDA’s ongoing role to help residents in America’s small towns and cities purchase homes in rural areas.
“Affordable housing is essential to the vitality of Wisconsin rural communities,” Frassetto said. “USDA is a partner for families looking to achieve the American Dream of homeownership which aids in long-term wealth generation. Housing availability and homeownership are necessary for rural communities to thrive, creating community stability and enhancing economic prosperity.”
Last year alone, Wisconsin USDA Single Family Housing programs served more than 2,300 families in rural areas. Throughout June, USDA employees will celebrate National Homeownership Month with events across the Nation that demonstrate USDA’s commitment to provide access to affordable housing for rural Americans.
Rural Development has several programs that support rural homeownership, including:
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USDA partnerships with private-sector lenders to help rural families buy homes. Providing loan guarantees for lenders working with low- to moderate-income families is the key to opening up private-sector homeownership opportunities.
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Direct home loans for very-low- and low-income applicants. Some borrowers may qualify for program benefits that effectively reduce the interest rate on their monthly mortgage payments to one percent.
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Repair loans and grants help people improve access to their homes and remove health and safety hazards such as poor wiring or plumbing.
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Mutual Self-Help Housing Technical Assistance grants are available to nonprofit organizations to help very-low- and low-income families build their own rural homes.
To learn more about USDA’s observance of National Homeownership Month, contact a Wisconsin Rural Development Office near you.
In April 2017, President Donald J. Trump established the Interagency Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity to identify legislative, regulatory and policy changes that could promote agriculture and prosperity in rural communities. In January 2018, Secretary Perdue presented the Task Force’s findings to President Trump. These findings included 31 recommendations to align the federal government with state, local and tribal governments to take advantage of opportunities that exist in rural America.
To view the report in its entirety, please view the Report to the President of the United States from the Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity (PDF, 5.4 MB). In addition, to view the categories of the recommendations, please view the Rural Prosperity infographic (PDF, 190 KB).
USDA Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities and create jobs in rural areas. This assistance supports infrastructure improvements; business development; housing; community facilities such as schools, public safety and health care; and high-speed internet access in rural areas. For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov/wi.