Seneca Coventry House - Tiffin, Ohio 

This project was an historic rehab of a building to a 30-unit senior project, in Seneca, Ohio.  This project was completed with the help of USDA Rural Development’s Section 538 Guarantee Rural Rental Housing Program (“GRRH”).  The GRRH program provides loan guarantees to construct and renovate affordable rural housing for low and moderate income families.

The building was the former National Home, Daughters of America building which was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2003 for its social history as well as its architectural significance.  The National home is historically significant for its contribution to Seneca County's social history and its construction is a reflection of the era of social service in the U.S. when private and fraternal organizations began to develop their own orphanages and elderly care facilities in the early 20^th century versus using single-building government-supported institutions.

The Rural Rental Housing Guaranteed Loan Program (Section 538) is a partnership between lenders and Rural Development.  Loans made by private lenders for construction or rehabilitation of rural rental housing are guaranteed by USDA Rural Development.  The multi-family complexes built under this program are intended as affordable housing for families or the elderly.

The Rural Rental Housing Guaranteed Loan Program serves low to moderate income tenants in rural areas whose income is no more than 115 percent of the median income in the area.  The Guaranteed Loan Program can accommodate projects anywhere within a rural area as determined by market conditions.  Coupled with tax credits, the Guaranteed Loan Program can be a very cost effective way to provide affordable housing in rural markets.

For more information

To contact a Rural Development State Office near you

Photos by

The Woda Group, LLC