GLICKMAN ANNOUNCES OVER $7 MILLION IN NEW FUNDING FOR RURAL COMMUNITIES
WASHINGTON, July 23, 1998 -- Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will provide more than $7 million in direct loans and grants to construct multi-family housing facilities and provide rental assistance to rural residents in eight states; Ala., Fla., Ind., Mich., Miss., N.M., Pa., and Wash.
"This Administration is committed to helping ensure the stability of rural areas and the growth of rural economies," Glickman said. "With this funding, we hope to ensure that more families living in rural areas, particularly older citizens, will have access to safe, affordable housing."
USDA's Multi-Family Housing Program currently provides more than 439,000 units of safe and sanitary rental housing to more than 1 million rural residents. The program subsidizes credit to developers of affordable housing, subsidizes rents, and gives grants to bring deteriorating houses up to code.
"USDA's housing programs do a lot to ensure the continued health and well-being of rural communities," said Glickman. "Providing affordable housing, safe drinking water and assistance to rural businesses is part of what USDA does to help rural communities grow and thrive."
In 1997, the Multi-Family Housing Program made loans and loan guarantees for the construction of more than 3,500 new rental units and provided grants for the rehabilitation of 1,970 individual units and 243 rental complexes. USDA's Section 521 Rental Assistance Program subsidizes the rents of tenants in Section 515 Multi-Family Housing and Section 514/516 Farm Labor Housing, so that they pay no more than 30 percent of their incomes to shelter costs.
USDA'S Rural Development mission area administers federal housing programs in rural areas. The money, $7,311,552, will be made available under the Section 515 Multi-Family Housing Program and Section 521 Rental Assistance Program. These programs work in tandem with other USDA programs to assist in developing rural community infrastructures.
The list of projects to be funded is below.
Contacts:
Roger Salazar (202) 720-4623
roger.salazar@usda.gov
Dan Campbell (202) 720-6483
dcampbel@rurdev.usda.gov
State Project Name Construction Funds Rental Assistance
(Units Needed) Alabama Autaugaville, $1,100,000 26 Autauga County Florida College Square $1,145,966 32 Apartments, Graceville (Located in Jackson County Empowerment Zone) Indiana Woodside Manor, $514,665 6 New Castle Michigan Bramblewood $307,910 8 Apartments, New Haven Mississippi Homes Villa LP, $870,631 21 Tchula New Mexico Cliffside III
Apartments, $1,500,000 34 Gallup Pennsylvania Mansfield Court, $1,032,380 26 Borough of Mansfield Washington Frontier Springs, $840,000 13 Republic TOTAL $7,311,552 166 Units