Search Results for keywords:"Rural Housing Service"

The Rural Housing Service (RHS) of the USDA has announced a new pilot program under the Section 504 Direct Single Family Housing Loans and Grants. This program aims to simplify the process for very low-income homeowners in rural areas who need to repair or renovate their homes. A key feature of the pilot is allowing funds to be used for construction materials payment before delivery, addressing common payment issues faced by contractors and applicants. The program is set to run from December 2, 2024, to December 2, 2026, with the possibility of extension, and it includes 25 states and U.S. territories.

The Rural Housing Service (RHS) of the Department of Agriculture announced updates to the competitive process for lenders submitting applications for the Section 538 Guaranteed Rural Rental Housing Program (GRRHP). The updates include new scoring criteria focusing on priorities like maturing mortgages and Qualified Contract waivers, adjustments in scoring points, and changes to the application process such as requiring lenders to include closing dates and details about commercial spaces. Applications are being accepted continuously, and funding will depend on allocations provided by the Appropriations Act each fiscal year. The goal of the GRRHP is to increase affordable rental housing in rural areas by supporting partnerships between private lenders and public agencies.

The Department of Agriculture is seeking public comments as part of its submission of information collection requirements to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. Various programs within the Rural Housing Service, including Civil Rights Compliance, Fire and Rescue Loans, and the Guaranteed Rural Rental Housing Program, are highlighted for their information collection efforts. These collections aim to ensure compliance with civil rights laws, determine project feasibility, and manage government resources efficiently. Public comments regarding these collections are due by February 20, 2025.

The United States Department of Agriculture's Rural Development (RD) division is changing its funding opportunities to remove references to the previous Administration's key priorities and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) criteria. This update follows an Executive Order titled "Ending Radical And Wasteful Government DEI Programs And Preferencing," issued in January 2025. Programs affected by this change will no longer consider these previous criteria for application scoring. Additionally, the Rural Energy for America Program's funding notice is corrected to include $50 million from the 2018 Farm Bill that was previously omitted.

The Rural Housing Service of the USDA has issued a final rule to update smoke alarm requirements for housing funded through its Section 515 Rural Rental Housing and Section 514/516 Farm Labor Housing Direct Loan Programs. This rule aligns with the 2023 Consolidated Appropriations Act, which mandates that federally assisted housing units must have either hardwired smoke alarms or 10-year battery-powered alarms that are sealed and tamper-resistant, with additional notification systems for individuals with hearing loss. The changes aim to enhance safety in rural housing units by ensuring smoke alarms meet modern safety standards, and they apply from January 21, 2025. Feedback from the public was considered, but no changes were made to the final rule as a result.

The Rural Housing Service (RHS) and other agencies under the U.S. Department of Agriculture are seeking to revise an existing information collection to ensure they comply with civil rights laws. This involves gathering data on the people served by RHS programs to verify that they receive benefits without discrimination based on race, color, or national origin. The information collected is used for internal monitoring and is shared with other federal agencies and Congress. The public is invited to comment on whether this collection is necessary, its burden, and ways to improve or reduce the burden, with comments due by March 15, 2021.

The Rural Housing Service has issued a final rule to update regulations for the Single Family Housing Direct Loan Program and the SFH Guaranteed Loan Program. This change aims to provide borrowers with more purchase options and enhance the overall experience of these programs. Key updates include allowing the purchase of existing manufactured homes according to safety standards and extending land-lease terms for new energy-efficient homes. The rule also revises definitions and removes some administrative requirements, reflecting public feedback to improve access to affordable housing in rural areas.

The Rural Business-Cooperative Service, Rural Housing Service, and Rural Utilities Service in the Department of Agriculture announced a correction to a previous document about loan guarantee rates and fees for fiscal year 2021. The correction added missing details specific to Alaska and clarified when certain fee payments begin. The original notice was issued on September 1, 2020, and the correction updates it to include all necessary information.

The Rural Housing Service, part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, has introduced a final rule updating how credit reports are obtained for the eligibility and feasibility assessments in the Multifamily Housing Programs. Starting January 30, 2025, applicants will need to provide their own credit reports instead of paying a fee for the agency to do it, simplifying the process and aligning with industry practices. This update also includes adding definitions and specific requirements for credit reports, aiming to streamline and modernize the applications for housing loans and grants in rural areas.

The Rural Housing Service, part of the US Department of Agriculture, is accepting applications for the Rural Community Development Initiative (RCDI) Grant Program for fiscal year 2021. These grants are awarded to intermediary organizations, which then provide financial and technical support to other groups working on housing, community facilities, or economic development in rural areas. Applicants must match the federal funds they receive, and the grants range from $50,000 to $250,000. The deadlines for application submissions are March 22, 2021, for electronic applications and March 29, 2021, for paper submissions.