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USDA, Partners Break Ground on New Farmworker Housing Apartment Complex in Silverton

Name
Erin McDuff
City
Silverton
Release Date

Today, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development joined its partners to break ground on Garden City, a new housing apartment complex in Silverton that received significant USDA funding and will provide affordable rental housing for farm laborers and their families.

“Farmworkers are vital to America’s agriculture sector and rural economy,” said Rural Development State Director Vicki Walker. “USDA is proud to provide funding for this affordable rental housing project in Silverton, which will improve the lives of farmworkers and their families.”

With assistance from a USDA Rural Development loan of $1 million and a grant of $2 million provided through the Farm Labor Housing Program, the nonprofit Farmworker Housing Development Corporation will construct an apartment complex that can accommodate 20 farmworker families. The complex will include a community meeting space and outdoor playground. In addition, it is anticipated to receive LEED Gold certification with the plans to recycle at least half of the construction waste, as well as the facility’s designs for high efficiency water fixtures, drought tolerant landscaping and high efficiency irrigation system, energy efficient HVAC system, and locally sourced materials.

Additional funding for this project includes $2.9 million in tax credits from Oregon Housing and Community Services. An interim loan of $1.6 million is being provided by CASA of Oregon until the tax credits take effect upon completion of construction. In addition, Rural Development will provide rental assistance to 19 families when they move into the new apartments, ensuring their rent payments do not exceed 30 percent of their income.

Today’s funding builds on USDA’s historic investments in rural America over the past seven years. Since 2009, USDA Rural Development (#USDARD) has invested $11 billion to start or expand 103,000 rural businesses; help 1.1 million rural residents buy homes; fund nearly 7,000 community facilities, such as schools, public safety, and healthcare facilities; finance 185,000 miles of electric transmission and distribution lines; and help bring high-speed Internet access to nearly 6 million rural residents and businesses. To learn more, visit www.usda.gov/results.