June is National Homeownership Month

June is National Homeownership Month, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) highlighted its single-family housing assistance to rural families’ record to kick it off.

"Since the start of USDA's single-family housing programs in 1949, USDA employees have helped nearly 3.4 million rural residents buy homes of their own," Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said.

In 2013, USDA helped more than 170,000 rural residents become homeowners, investing more than $23.4 billion in loans, grants and technical assistance to provide affordable, safe housing for rural families.

USDA Rural Development programs that support rural homeownership include:

• Direct home loans for very low-income applicants
• Guaranteed home loans for moderate-income families
• Home repair loans and grants to help rural homeowners make improvements or repairs

For more than 33 years, RCAC has received USDA funding to provide technical and managerial assistance to USDA Mutual Self-Help Housing agencies in the West.

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RCAC's conference a success

Nearly 250 people attended RCAC's Rural Housing and Community conference in Salt Lake City, Utah. The conference attracted housing and rural community development specialists from across the country.

One of the many highlights included keynote speaker Tony Hernandez, USDA's Rural Housing Service administrator, speech on USDA's current staffing and funding levels.

"Our mission is to assist rural communities in creating prosperity so they are self-sustaining and economically thriving," said Hernandez.

Hernandez's dedication to rural America was felt in his keynote address, but also during  his participation in workshops and discussions with USDA state directors and self-help grantees during the conference. He stressed the importance of loan packaging automation and explained how he is advocating for funding to make it happen in the near future.

RCAC's successful fundraising efforts and contributions from Morgan Stanley Bank, Zions Bank, CIT Bank and Rural LISC provided scholarships to 102 attendees. The scholarships covered conference registration, hotel room, and travel stipends.

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New Mexico State University researchers are developing solutions for reusing water produced by hydraulic fracturing

New Mexico State University (NMSU) researchers are developing solutions for reusing water produced by hydraulic fracturing (wastewater). Read more>>

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Housing counselors help unemployed workers get mortgage assistance

Inland Fair Housing and Mediation Board’s (IFHMB) housing resource counselors were at the National Beef facility to provide information about free programs that can help the employees make mortgage payments while unemployed. Read more>>

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Mobile home park resident cooperative buys out large corporation

Large corporations that reap large dividends at the expense of resident’s quality of life commonly own and operate mobile home parks. Recently, mobile home park residents across the country have formed cooperatives to buy-out their wealthy landlords. Read more>>

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SAVE THE DATE!

Section 502 Direct Loan Packaging certification 
September 23-25, 2014 
Portland, Oregon - DoubleTree by Hilton Portland

More info here! 

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Oddz N Ends

Join 10,000 Friends of Rural America

10,000 Friends of Rural America is an informal partnership of 30 nonpartisan national, regional and local nonprofits coordinated by Stand Up for Rural America, a project of The Center for Rural Strategies based in Whitesburg, KY. It was formed because Rural America is not getting a fair share of the nation’s policy attention and investment for rural people and places by creating a fresh rural and urban voice to speak up and combat their growing marginalization. Sign up now>>