Success Stories

Vikki Shoulders has lived on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation her entire life. At 46, she always dreamed of owning her own home, but on the reservation, there weren’t many options. While renting offered many benefits, she knew she was paying for something she would never own… [Read More]

While the clear blue skies and tidy farm fields on the prairie may seem limitless in Wright County, Iowa, access to housing there can be challenging to see. To find a suitable place to live, Kate Foote confronted a limited supply of affordable homes and ever-changing market… [Read More]

In November, USDA Rural Development and Rural Community Action Program helped Andrew “Tai” Lepule and his family close on the home of their dreams.  Purchasing a house can be challenging for any family in Alaska, considering high market prices, low availability, and stringent… [Read More]

The journey to homeownership is often filled with anxiety, unknowns, frustrations and eventually excitement as you move into your home. For Shalyn Janis, this journey began in 2018. She had been trying to buy a home for a while when she heard about USDA’s Native Relending, or… [Read More]

Elizabeth Brewster grew up in Paradise, California. After a time away for her career, she knew she had to come back to the place she called home – a home that had been in her family since the 1960s. In 2018, tragedy hit. The Camp Fire, the deadliest fire in the history of… [Read More]

Homeownership is still the “American Dream” for many people living in America and for Ms. Jacqueline Turner, this dream was no different.  USDA Rural Development (RD) helped Turner realize that it’s not just a dream it’s now a reality. Recently Turner applied for a home loan… [Read More]

When Kim Lawrence of Eagle Butte set out to purchase a home, she knew there was work to be done. “I had very bad credit and student loans that had gone unpaid,” said Lawrence. “Before I could buy a house, I needed to clean up my credit, and Four Bands helped guide me along the… [Read More]

 In 2017, Heather, a U.S. Army National Guard Veteran, decided to build her home through the Great Falls NeighborWorks self-help housing program, in Great Falls, Mont.  She used a USDA Rural Development Single Family Direct Home Loan to purchase the home she built. Click here… [Read More]

Buying a house can be a daunting process for anyone and it’s easy to become discouraged or overwhelmed, but for one South Dakota family, perseverance paid off for their long journey to home ownership. Brian and Catherine Bartunek wanted a place to call home for their three… [Read More]

Kristen S., a single mom and resident of Red Lodge, Montana, decided to build her home through the Helena Area Habitat for Humanity self-help housing program.  As part of a new initiative, Habitat for Humanity partnered with Red Lodge Area Community Foundation and Trust Montana… [Read More]