Final Environmental Assessment - August 2024

Joe Barb isn’t your typical citizen. He’s the type of guy that sees someone in need and doesn’t turn away. Instead, he offers support.

On a cold winter day during the COVID pandemic, Joe took his young son to the last barbershop in town that was still open. “I was talking to the barber, and I noticed a young person seeking refuge in the shop,” said Joe. “The barber said he just comes in to get warm.”

“Without this program, I would not be in my own home right now.”

For years, Amanda Weaver worked to help people get back on their feet through the support of USDA assistance programs. But when it came to buying a house, it was time for USDA to help Amanda instead.

Dylan LaRue knew immediately when he found the home meant for him. With an expansive living room and wide backyard, Dylan immediately envisioned the place as a haven—not only for himself but for his cats.

“It was filled with cherished memories waiting to be made,” he said.

Life has its ups and downs. We can make all the plans we want, but sometimes life throws a wrench in those plans. Things were looking up for Donna Carpegna in 1997. Donna was working with USDA Rural Development Area Specialist Wendell Alt to secure a Section 502 Direct Loan to build a home in Fort Ashby, West Virginia.

A few days after the St. Croix Valley Habitat for Humanity celebrated its 28th year of helping families access safe, affordable housing in Wisconsin, a local mother and healthcare worker, Taylor, and her two children joined volunteers on a snowy afternoon in March to break ground on their new home in Ellsworth.

Staff from USDA Rural Development were on hand for the occasion, including Jackie, Taylor’s assigned Loan Specialist at USDA Rural Development.  

MICHIGAN, N.D. – Hand-drawn and colored pictures from grandkids decorate the kitchen. Pictures of a life lived hang on the living room walls. Coco the dog keeps watch from outside the patio door.

This is home for Rosemary Knoll, a resident of Michigan, ND (population: 250). Sitting down and speaking with Rosemary is like sitting with your own family as she warmly welcomes you into her home and shares smiles alongside the stories of her kids, grandkids, and her late husband.

Families in Rock County, Minnesota have had limited choices when it comes to childcare. Now, the City of Luverne is taking action to provide much needed relief for working families.

Peñasco, a small mountain town in northern New Mexico, sits along the High Road to Taos, a scenic byway in the beautiful Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Despite its small size, Peñasco offers a surprising amount to the area. The town enjoys a variety of restaurants and businesses that support locals and tourists alike.