USDA celebrates National Homeownership Month

This month, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development State Director Ryan Thorn kicked off National Homeownership Month. As part of this nationwide celebration, USDA Rural Development is highlighting programs that help people in rural areas buy, build, and repair affordable homes and pay their rent in America’s smallest towns and communities.
“For some West Virginians, the dream of homeownership is a dream that is unrealized,” said Thorn. “Whether owning or renting, a home is where we can live with dignity, watch our families grow and stay connected to our communities. Through single family, multi-family, rental assistance, home repair and other programs, USDA is ready to support the housing needs of rural West Virginians and ensure they have opportunities to achieve their dreams.”
Over the past year, USDA has added to the resources available to help people access safe, affordable housing in rural areas. The Department recently launched an initiative to help people rebuild after disasters. USDA also has helped thousands of families keep their homes by reducing or pausing their monthly mortgage payments during financial uncertainty caused by the pandemic.
In addition, USDA works to increase access to affordable multifamily rental housing opportunities in rural America. The Department is currently helping nearly 308,000 households across the country afford to pay their rent through rental assistance. This assistance ensures low-income and elderly tenants pay no more than 30% of their income in housing costs. For more information, visit Multifamily Housing Programs | Rural Development (usda.gov).
USDA is also highlighting ways it is working with lenders and community partners to open the door to homeownership for rural Americans who have been unserved or underserved for far too long. USDA is hosting events across the nation to showcase affordable housing programs for lenders, community partners, families and individuals. USDA’s Single-Family Housing programs are:
• The Single Family Housing Direct Home Loan Program provides loans directly to families and individuals so they can buy or build homes in rural America.
• The Single Family Housing Guaranteed Loan Program enables USDA to partner with private lending institutions, backing their loans to help families and individuals buy homes in rural areas.
• The Home Repair Loan and Grant Program provides loans and grants to help families and individuals repair their homes to make them safer, healthier places to live.
• The Mutual Self-Help Housing Grant Program provides grants to qualified organizations to help them carry out local self-help housing construction projects.
Expanding opportunities for homeownership and rental assistance strengthens rural communities and helps families and individuals build wealth and achieve financial stability. Over the past three years, USDA has invested $762 million to help more than 4,500 families and individuals in rural West Virginia buy, repair, and build homes through USDA Rural Development’s Single-Family Housing programs.
Visit the Single-Family Housing program webpage or contact the Rural Development West Virginia State Office at 304-284-4868 to learn more about USDA homeownership programs.
Under the Biden 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. To subscribe to USDA Rural Development West Virginia updates, visit our GovDelivery subscriber page.
USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. In the Biden 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.