| Outline of Need
Heather Booterbaugh wanted a home of her own. As a
single mother of two young girls, she dreamed of having her own place,
living by her own set of rules; perhaps even get a small pet or two for
her daughters. But like many single low income families, Heather felt
that homeownership was just out of her reach. Even though her income had
stabilized through working a full and part time job, she could not
believe that homeownership was in her near or distant future. But then
she remembered a meeting she had attended three years earlier when her
youngest daughter was attending Head Start, a program focused on
increasing the school readiness of young children in low-income
families. At that meeting, a USDA-Rural Development employee from the
Brush Prairie Office presented information on the 502 Direct Loan
Program to Head Start families and staff in Long Beach. Her economic
outlook had improved since that presentation three years earlier, so she
took a chance and called the Brush Prairie Office to fill out an
application.
How Rural Development Helped
USDA Rural Development received an “Earnest
Money Agreement” from Heather in December 2003, who in turn started
getting the necessary inspections and certifications needed to purchase
a modest three-bedroom, two-bath house on a 1.3 acre lot. However, the
inspections showed that the septic system on the property was
inadequate. Still, Heather did not give up. She really wanted this
particular house and worked hard getting bids for designs and
installation of a new septic system. In the mean time, Heather received
a pay raise at her job, allowing Rural Development to include the costs
of the repairs into her home purchase loan. The Contractor, “Ducham
Construction” and System Designer Rod Payne, agreed to complete the work
prior to closing and be paid with loan funds at closing to expedite
Heather moving into her new home.
The Results
Heather and her family faced many obstacles
obtaining their home, but persevered. Taking advantage of the USDA Rural
Development 502 Direct Loan Program, she is now a “happy homeowner” with
plenty of room for her two daughters and their extended family (two dogs
and two cats) to play and plan for their future... “We now have two
bathrooms for the three women in the house” Heather said, adding that
she feels this will be great for about another six years, at which time
“another bathroom may be needed when the youngest Booterbaugh becomes a
teenager.”
To learn more about this and other
USDA Rural Development Housing programs, click here for the Rural Development
Area Office closest to you.
Back to Housing Programs
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Complaints of Discrimination should be sent to:
USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Washington D.C. 20250-9410
EEO/CR Statement
Last modified:
January 04, 2005
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