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USDA Celebrates National Homeownership Month in Liberal

Name
Jessica Bowser
City
Liberal
Release Date

USDA Rural Development State Director Patty Clark today celebrated National Homeownership Month in Liberal by highlighting USDA’s ongoing role to help people buy homes in rural areas.     

 

“Homeownership provides a strong foundation that helps people build household wealth, start a business, fund education through home equity, and climb ladders of economic opportunity, said Clark.” “USDA Rural Development is proud of the work that has been completed in the city of Liberal through the self-help program, and would like to recognize the city for its commitment to providing affordable housing to residents.”  

 

For the past 10 years, USDA Rural Development has partnered with the city of Liberal’s Mutual Self-Help program to construct 55 homes.  USDA Rural Development has provided more than $6 million in home loan financing through the Agency’s Single Family Housing Direct Program to Liberal Self-Help Program participants.  One self-help participant was Matthew McLane, and his wife Candice.  In 2012, they built their home with the assistance of the Liberal Self-Help Program.  The Homeownership event in Liberal was held at the McLane’s home on Clay Street. 


USDA’s Mutual Self-Help Housing Technical Assistance Grant, helps qualified organizations, such as the City of Liberal, carry out local self-help housing construction projects.  By working in partnership with trusted local organizations, this program helps families get affordable, clean and safe homes of their own in rural areas. The self-help process also allows community members to gain construction experience and a way for neighbors to come together.

 

Since the inception of the self-help program, USDA has invested nearly $3.5 billion to secure homeownership for 50,000 families.


USDA has invested more than $137 billion since 2009 to support rural homeownership. In 2015 alone, the Department invested $19.5 billion to help more than 148,500 rural families buy or make repairs and safety upgrades to their homes. USDA created more homeownership opportunities through seven years of the Obama Administration than during any previous seven-year period in the single-family housing program’s history.


USDA employees will celebrate National Homeownership Month throughout June with events across the nation that demonstrate the commitment to provide access to affordable housing for low- and moderate-income rural residents.

USDA Rural Development (@usdaRD) has helped more than 1.1 million rural residents buy homes since 2009; funded more than 7,540 community facilities such as schools, public safety and health care facilities; and leveraged $4.12 billion in third party funds through public-private partnerships to build or revitalize 80,412 units of rental housing in rural communities. In 2015, USDA facilitated the investment of nearly $161 million in private capital in 22 critical water and community facilities projects in 14 states, including Kansas.