Rural communities face unique challenges when dealing with the affordable housing crisis. Because development does not generally occur at a large scales in rural areas, construction costs are often higher in rural communities compared to urban areas, which reduces the incentives for private investment. Additionally, a lack of access to credit in many rural areas limits funding for maintenance of existing units.
NLIHC works with our state and national partners to advocate for increased funding for USDA and HUD programs, particularly those that provide funding to non-profits that support the creation of affordable housing.
Memo to Members and Partners Articles
The Housing Assistance Council (HAC) announced the launch of its new Center for Rural Multifamily Housing Preservation, a cross-disciplinary initiative to preserve rural rental housing, particularly properties financed through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Rural Rental Housing Loan (…
Representatives Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO) and Blaine Luetkemeyer (R-MO) introduced the “Rural Housing Services Reform Act” in the U.S. House of Representatives on December 14. The bill – a companion to a bipartisan bill of the same name introduced in the U.S. Senate (see Memo, 10/2/23) – aims to…
The Housing Assistance Council (HAC) released in November the fifth edition of its Taking Stock report. HAC publishes the report every decade following the release of data from the Decennial Census in order to provide a comprehensive overview of trends in rural housing around the country. The…
Senators Tina Smith (D-MN) and Mike Rounds (R-SD) reintroduced the “Rural Housing Service Reform Act of 2023” (S.2790) in the U.S. Senate. The bill, which was reintroduced with revisions and six new bipartisan cosponsors, would aim to improve the housing programs administered by the U.S. Department…