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USDA Rural Housing Administrator Altoro Visits Nashville and the Surrounding Area

Name
Charron Culp
City
NASHVILLE
Release Date

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Mar. 2, 2022 - U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development – Tennessee is pleased to host USDA Rural Housing Administrator Joaquin Altoro in Nashville, TN as he attended the Tennessee Housing Conference sponsored by the Tennessee Housing Development Agency and met with Dr. Murat Arik, BERC Director at Middle Tennessee State University.

Administrator Altoro was the keynote speaker at the Tennessee Housing Conference Plenary Breakfast. This year’s two-day conference theme was “Engage. Empower. Connect.” and was held at the Music City Center in Downtown Nashville. The conference, sponsored by the Tennessee Housing Development Agency, offers opportunities for professionals from every facet of the housing industry to connect with one another.  

Following the breakfast, Administrator Altoro visited Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, TN and met with Dr. Murat Arik, the Director of the Business and Economic Research Center (BERC). The center received a $128,000 Community Facilities Technical Assistance Training grant to create an online application portal for Community Facilities Applications in underserved areas of the state. The investment is expected to reach ten counties and 15 communities in rural Tennessee.  

“We are excited to have USDA Rural Housing Administrator Joaquin Altoro here with us in Nashville. It has been an honor to host the Administrator and have him visit various sites across the mid-state,” Arlisa Armstrong, Tennessee Rural Development State Director said. “Today we will meet with Dr. Murat Arik, the Director of the BERC at Middle Tennessee State University. The center recently received a grant to assist underserved areas of the state complete Community Facilities applications using an online portal.”  

Others participating in the event included Dr. Murat Arik and USDA Rural Development – Tennessee Representatives Don Harris, Housing Program Director and Arlisa Armstrong, State Director.  

Under the Biden-Harris Administration, Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities, create jobs and improve the quality of life for millions of Americans 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, Tribal and high-poverty areas. For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov/tn. If you’d like to subscribe to USDA Rural Development updates, visit our GovDelivery subscriber page.

USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. In the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate-smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit www.usda.gov.

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