Funding Available to weatherize and repair
existing structures, install or improve plumbing or
provide access to people with disabilities
WASHINGTON, DC July 22, 2011 - Agriculture Secretary
Tom Vilsack announced today that applications are being
accepted for grants to eligible applicants to help low-
and very-low-income rural residents repair their homes.
"These funds help limited-income rural homeowners
improve their living conditions, Vilsack said. The
costs associated with maintaining a home are a challenge
for many rural homeowners and the funding we are
announcing will be used by awardees to help low and
very-low-income residents in rural areas maintain and
repair their homes.
Housing Preservation Grants are provided to
intermediaries such as town or county governments,
public agencies, federally recognized Indian Tribes, and
non-profit and faith-based organizations. The grants are
then distributed to qualified homeowners or owners of
multi-family rental properties or cooperative dwellings
who rent to low- and very-low-income residents. Funding
is not provided directly to homeowners by USDA under
this program.
The grants can be used to weatherize and repair
existing structures, install or improve plumbing or
provide access to people with disabilities. For example,
in 2009, The Jefferson County Board of Supervisors in
Fayette, Miss. received a $75,000 Housing Preservation
Grant, along with funds from the Mississippi Development
Authority to repair and rehabilitate homes. With these
funds, the agency was able provide a $15,000 grant to
help homeowner Willie Henry Reed make his bathroom and
kitchen handicap-accessible. Funds were also used to
repair a leaking roof.
USDA may award up to $9.8 million in competitive
grants through the Housing Preservation Grant program.
Applications are due on August 22, 2011. For more
information about application details, please view the
Notice of Funds Availability (NOFA) published in the
July 7, 2011 Federal Register, visit the USDA Rural
Development Michigan web site at www.rurdev.usda.gov/mi
or call toll-free at 1-800-944-8119.
Housing Preservation Grants help bring job growth and
stability to low-income communities while improving the
living conditions of rural Americans.
In June, President Obama signed an Executive Order
establishing the first White House Rural Council,
chaired by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. The White
House Rural Council will work throughout government to
create policies to promote economic prosperity and a
high quality of life in our rural communities.
Since taking office, President Obama's Administration
has taken significant steps to improve the lives of
rural Americans and has provided broad support for rural
communities. The Obama Administration has set goals of
modernizing infrastructure by providing broadband access
to 10 million Americans, expanding educational
opportunities for students in rural areas, and providing
affordable health care. In the long term, these
unparalleled rural investments will help ensure that
America's rural communities are repopulating,
self-sustaining, and thriving economically.
USDA, through its Rural Development mission area,
administers and manages housing, business and community
infrastructure and facility programs through a national
network of state and local offices. Rural Development
has an existing portfolio of more than $153 billion in
loans and loan guarantees. These programs are designed
to improve the economic stability of rural communities,
businesses, residents, farmers and ranchers and improve
the quality of life in rural America.
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