Sponsored content contributed by AOC Business Partner: USDA Rural Development
Last month was National Homeownership Month, and after 75 years helping rural Oregonians, USDA Rural Development (USDA RD) has a lot to celebrate and even more work to do. Every year, hundreds of families in rural Oregon buy, build, and repair homes using USDA loans, loan guarantees, and grants, but USDA Rural Development programs also can help whole communities rehabilitate existing property or start fresh from the ground up.
Many of Oregon’s rural communities have seen impressive population growth over the past few years, and with new faces comes a need for new housing. Unfortunately, before new housing can be built, communities must address aging or strained infrastructure. USDA RD’s Water and Environmental Programs provide loans, loan guarantees, and grants for major water projects as well as grants for communities facing the aftermath of or preparing for a disaster like a chemical spill, landslide, or drought. USDA RD also provides financing for electric projects, including renewable energy, and broadband projects, including telemedicine and distance learning. Additionally, USDA RD’s Rural Housing Site loans can be used to acquire and develop single family housing sites for low or moderate-income families.
For some communities, the best way to increase housing supply is to repair or maintain existing homes. USDA RD’s Housing Preservation Grants allow local government entities and Tribes to repair or rehabilitate housing owned by low or very low-income homeowners. Rental owners may also be eligible. Using the funding, applicants can administer grants or low-interest loans so that homeowners can install handicap accessibility features, repair rooves, fix septic tanks, and more. USDA RD’s Rural Energy Savings Program also provides funding for qualified entities that provide energy efficiency loans to qualified customers, which can be used for weatherization, home energy upgrades, and more.
Sometimes it’s difficult to know where to start with large housing projects. Sometimes communities need technical assistance to plan out transitional or supportive housing. USDA RD’s Community Facilities Technical Assistance Grants help fund technical assistance from the Housing Assistance Council, so communities can access the support they need before breaking ground, or help public bodies provide technical assistance funding for eligible projects. Similarly, the Community Facilities Guaranteed Loan program can help public bodies and qualified lenders finance community, social, public, or cultural centers and other essential community infrastructure for residents to help make new housing feel like home.
Whatever stage your housing project is in, contact USDA RD at (503) 414-3300 or locate your nearest office for assistance. The sooner federal agencies get involved, the faster they can lend support, answer questions, and help with capacity issues. After all, when rural Oregon prospers, all of Oregon prospers.
Contributed by: Max Sprague | United States Department of Agriculture Rural Development