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
By Kayla Blackwell, NLIHC Housing Policy Analyst, and Kayla Springer, NLIHC Policy Intern On June 12, the U.S. House Committee on Financial Services Subcommittee on Housing Insurance held a hearing, “Housing in the Heartland: Addressing Our Rural Housing Needs.” Witnesses testified on the…
NLIHC released a new fact sheet on rural housing, “Rural American Cannot Address Housing Needs Without Federal Investments.” The fact sheet summarizes data and barriers to rural housing development, including persistent poverty, higher infrastructure costs and a history of economic disinvestment in…
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Rural Development mission, which oversees the Rural Housing Service, released two new resources to ensure tenants of USDA-financed rental properties benefit from fair housing practices. The first, a “Tenant Rights and Responsibilities” brochure, covers…
NLIHC joined a letter along with 15 other national organizations in support of the “Rural Housing Service Reform Act of 2023” (H.R.6785), which would modernize and improve the administration of housing programs run by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Rural Housing Service (RHS). NLIHC…