2014 in Review: New Farm Bill Allows Kansas Family to Purchase Home

From USDA:

Posted by Kansas Rural Development State Director Patty Clark, on December 29, 2014 at 3:30 PM

Megan Estrada and her children enjoy a swing on the porch of their new home financed by a USDA Rural Development home loan guarantee.

2014 will soon be in our collective rear view mirrors, and USDA Rural Development has had an incredibly productive year. This week we are looking back on stories from the year that illustrate the impact our programs have on rural communities. Here’s a story out of our Kansas State Office from June.

Megan Estrada and her three children are excited to spend time on their new home’s porch – a home they just moved into this summer. Prior to purchasing their own home, Estrada and her children had spent the last nine years in an apartment in Dodge City, Kansas.

Estrada tried to buy a home four years ago, but with no solid credit history was unable to secure a loan through conventional home financing. For the next four years Estrada built up her credit, then in May of this year she heard that USDA would be offering home loans in Dodge City and called her banker to see how to apply.

With the passage of the 2014 Farm Bill, Dodge City became eligible for USDA Housing Programs. The Farm Bill contained language that changed the definition of a rural area for USDA’s Housing Program; the new definition allowed areas with populations of up to 35,000 that are rural in character to be eligible for USDA Housing Programs – which made Dodge City eligible.

In June, Estrada was the first Dodge City resident to purchase a home by utilizing USDA’s Guaranteed Rural Housing Program. Landmark National Bank provided the loan on Estrada’s three-bedroom home, which is guaranteed by USDA Rural Development.

“I am prepared to accept the responsibility of homeownership, and am looking forward to it,” said Estrada. “The kids enjoy having a backyard to play in, and I like allowing them to play outside where I know they are safe.”

Since 2009, USDA Rural Development has helped more than 11,000 Kansas residents purchase a home.

As the new year begins, we in Rural Development look forward to a productive 2015 and the continued opportunity to promote, develop, and support the way of life in the rural communities that support agriculture across our nation.

USDA and Habitat for Humanity to Build Homes and Ladders of Opportunity

From USDA:

Posted by Thomas Williams, USDA Rural Development State Director, Pennsylvania, on December 9, 2014 at 1:00 PM

USDA Rural Development Pennsylvania State Director Thomas Williams helped future homeowner Judy Aguero put the first nails into the doorway of her new home.

On a blustery cold November morning, it was heartwarming to help Judy Aguero put the first nails into the doorway of her new home. Ms. Aguero, a single mom, was born in New York City and moved to Pennsylvania when she was 15 years old. When her mother was deported back to Santo Domingo, Judy lived with members of her church. By 19, she was expecting a child and living at a homeless shelter. Overcoming all odds, Judy was determined to make a better life for herself and her child. She is currently employed as a Certified Nursing Assistant and is working on an associate’s degree in social work. Through York Habitat for Humanity, she will be moving into a new three bedroom, one bath two-story duplex in the spring of 2015 with her daughter, Yudelka.

USDA Rural Development’s Pennsylvania housing staff recently met with York Habitat for Humanity (York Habitat) to partner our resources to help bring homeownership to reality for rural Pennsylvanians. York Habitat will be working as a packager to help hardworking potential homeowners like Judy complete applications for the USDA 502 Direct Home Loan Program.  Through the program, direct homeownership loans are available to lower income individuals and families. Payments are based on income, with no down payment required. It’s just another way Rural Development is creating ladders of opportunity to help people have the tools they need to climb into the middle class.

Last Fiscal Year, Rural Development assisted over 120 low income home buyers realize the dream of homeownership in rural Pennsylvania. Through this program, USDA is investing in the linchpin of what makes a strong community: safe, affordable housing where families can raise the next generation of rural Americans.

USDA Rural Development State Director Thomas Williams assists York Habitat for Humanity volunteers as they lift trusses for Judy Aguero’s new home.

South Dakota Statewide Native Homeownership Coalition on the Horizon

USDA Blog:

Posted by Christine Sorensen, USDA Rural Development Coordinator, on July 18, 2013 at 1:05 PM

Federal, State, and Tribal partners work on a solution to bring safe, affordable housing to South Dakota’s tribal areas. USDA photo.

South Dakota USDA Rural Development, Governor’s Office of Economic Development, South Dakota Housing Development Authority (SDHDA), and the Great Plains Native Asset Building Coalition convened a vital meeting of stakeholders recently to gain input on the creation of a statewide coalition to support and promote homeownership in South Dakota Native communities.

Six of the nine Indian reservations in South Dakota, including representatives of six Indian housing authorities participated in the session, as well as Nathan Sanderson of the Governor’s Office of Economic Development.  In addition to USDA Rural Development, federal stakeholders included the Departments of Housing and Urban Development, Veterans Affairs, and Indian Health Service. About 50 people gathered for a daylong working session to provide critical impute on the goals and priorities of a proposed coalition.

“This meeting was a historic first step towards collectively working towards increased homeownership opportunities in Indian country,” said USDA Rural Development State Director Elsie Meeks.  “A coalition could support the partners on the ground, housing authorities, state, federal and tribal governments; all working towards not only homeownership but wealth building within Tribal communities”.

The session began with introductions and supporting comments from the State of South Dakota Secretary of Tribal Relations, J. R. LaPlante that expressed his support for the meeting to further the dialogue on tribal housing in South Dakota.  Mark Lauseng, SDHDA Executive Director, hosted and was on the planning committee for the session, “A coalition and the partnerships that it could create will be a vehicle for needed resources and support systems across the state.”

An electronic survey was conducted prior to the meeting and the results showed that the most effective avenues for homeownership preparation are to provide credit counseling and financial/homebuyer education.  Many times it is the local Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) that is the integral service provider located within the community.  Tawney Brunsch, Lakota Funds Executive Director andGreat Plains Native Asset Building Coalition leader, supports the homeownership coalition stating, “Asset development and financial literacy are necessary tools on the journey to homeownership.”

With the full support of key stakeholders across the state, a homeownership coalition is on the horizon.  Priorities to engage tribal leaders, develop statewide goals, conduct policy advocacy and peer networking and provide a clearing house for resources and services; the coalition will move the dream of homeownership on Native lands to reality.

USDA recently included South Dakota as a StrikeForce state and the StrikeForce economic development goals for the state include increased and focused support and outreach on Tribal lands by USDA Rural Development, Natural Resource Conservation Service and Farm Service Agency.

    

Tags: Elsie Meeks, FSA, homeownership, HUD, Indian Health Service, NRCS, RD, South Dakota, South Dakota Housing Development Authority, Strikeforce, Tribal, Veterans Affairs

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