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.

Native Community Development Financial Institution Relending Demonstration Program

It’s very easy to get lost in where to start in the home buying process, between the application, documentation and the housing market it can be overwhelming. That’s when having support and subject matter experts really helps. For the diligent men and women who work in Rural Development’s (RD) Single Family Housing program it’s an everyday conversation. Where are the barriers, and how can we help?

A project that has been years in the making for a small Minnesota town is wrapping up. By the end of the summer, the City of Howard Lake is expected to open the doors of their new, state-of-the-art public library.

As the days get longer and warmer, the sound of hammers against rooftops are a common sound echoing across neighborhoods as homeowners replace old shingles weathered by time, harsh South Dakota winters, and the strong spring winds that blow across the prairie.

But replacing a roof can be costly, especially for those living on limited income, and Jolene learned quickly she wouldn’t be able to afford the high price tag.