USDA ANNOUNCES SELECTION OF RECIPIENTS FOR TECHNICAL AND SUPERVISORY ASSISTANCE HOUSING GRANTS
WASHINGTON, September 26, 2007 - Acting Secretary Chuck Conner today announced the selection of 11 community-based organizations in 10 states to receive more than $1 million in rural housing Technical and Supervisory Assistance grants.
"President Bush has challenged federal and private-sector entities to increase homeownership opportunities for Americans throughout the country," Conner said. "These funds expand our housing partnerships in rural communities - especially in areas still recovering after devastating storms."
The Technical and Supervisory Assistance Grant Program helps fund homeownership and financial counseling programs to reduce the potential for delinquency by USDA Rural Development loan applicants and outreach to inform low-income rural residents about the availability of housing assistance.
Grantees were selected based on service to rural areas with low incomes and a need for improved housing. Applicants selected for Technical and Supervisory Assistance include organizations in Mississippi, Louisiana and Kansas serving areas hit by hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005 and devastating tornadoes in 2007. Four additional grants will fund groups serving rural areas of primarily Native Americans, Hispanics or African Americans. For example, the non-profit group Community Housing Services of Wichita/Sedgwick County, Inc. was selected to receive $100,000 to provide housing counseling in counties in central Kansas, including areas hard hit by tornadoes this spring.
In total, 11 organizations were selected to receive $1.043 million in grants ranging from $60,000 to $100,000. Funding of individual recipients will be contingent upon their meeting the conditions of the grant agreement. Below is a complete list of selected recipients:
Recipient
State
Loan Amount
Self-Help Enterprises
CA
$100,000
Colorado Rural Housing Development Corp.
CO
$ 83,179
East Athens Development Corporation, Inc.
GA
$ 60,000
Community Housing Services of Wichita/Sedgwick County, Inc.
KS
$100,000
Frontier Housing, Inc.
KY
$100,000
Mid-South Delta LISC
LA
$100,000
Mississippi Home Corporation
MS
$100,000
Montana HomeOwnership Network
MT
$100,000
Tierra Del Sol Housing Corporation
NM
$100,000
Choanoke Area Dev. Association of North Carolina, Inc.
NC
$100,000
Neighborhood Housing Services of the Black Hills, Inc.
SD
$100,000
USDA Rural Development's mission is to increase economic opportunity and improve the quality of life for rural residents. USDA Rural Development has invested more than $76.8 billion since 2001 for equity and technical assistance to finance and foster growth in homeownership, business development, and critical community and technology infrastructure. More than 1.5 million jobs have been created or saved through these investments. Further information on rural programs is available at a local USDA Rural Development office or by visiting USDA's web site at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov.
