Search Results for agency_names:"Rural Housing Service"

The Rural Housing Service (RHS), a part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, had planned a new rule regarding how credit reports are obtained for their Multifamily Housing Programs. This rule was initially set to go into effect on January 30, 2025, but the effective date has now been delayed until March 31, 2025. The delay is due to a presidential memorandum that called for a review of new regulations. This action allows department officials more time to review the changes without the need for public comments, as the delay is intended to ensure orderly implementation of the rule.

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 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 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 US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has re-authorized the Strategic Economic and Community Development (SECD) priority through the 2018 Farm Bill. For FY 2021, the agency is reserving funds from certain development programs to prioritize projects that support multi-jurisdictional and multi-sectoral strategic community investment plans. Applicants for these funds need to submit specific forms and meet eligibility requirements, with an emphasis on projects in rural areas. The notice also encourages projects that improve life in rural America, including areas designated as Opportunity Zones and efforts to combat substance use disorders.

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 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.

Rural Development, part of the USDA, is adopting seven Categorical Exclusions (CEs) from the Department of Energy to use in their programs, under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). These CEs will help streamline environmental reviews for projects improving infrastructure like electric power, water systems, and renewable energy in rural areas. The agency has consulted with the DOE to ensure appropriateness and plans to apply these CEs while considering environmental impact safeguards. This decision aims to enhance the efficiency of RD projects while maintaining environmental compliance.

The Rural Business-Cooperative Service, Rural Housing Service, and Rural Utilities Service within the USDA have issued corrections to a final rule for the OneRD Guarantee Loan Program originally published on September 30, 2024. These corrections address issues such as a misspelled subject heading, incorrect instructions, an incomplete definition of an "affiliate," and inaccuracies regarding protective advances. Key changes include clarifying rules about when agency approval is required for protective advances and updating specific sections of the regulation. This corrected rule aims to improve the management of agricultural and rural development loan programs.

The Rural Housing Service (RHS), a branch of the USDA, has extended its pilot program for simplifying transfers of certain rural rental housing properties. This program, which now includes Section 514 properties, aims to reduce application requirements, lower costs, and improve processing times for ownership changes. There are three transfer options focusing on expedited ownership change, rehabilitation, and future rehabilitation plans, each tailored to different property conditions and needs. The program will run until December 9, 2025, and any changes or termination will be publicly announced by the RHS.