U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development Under Secretary Xochitl Torres Small announced today that USDA is investing $102 million to expand access to housing and water infrastructure for underserved rural people who live and work in 47 states and American Samoa. The 263 projects in which USDA is investing will create economic opportunities and improve the lives of hundreds of thousands of people in rural America.
The investments are part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to ensure that people living in rural America have equitable access to the infrastructure and economic opportunities they deserve.
“USDA invests in rural America because we know a strong community is rooted in its people,” Torres Small said. “Thanks to the leadership of President Biden, Vice President Harris, and Agriculture Secretary Vilsack, USDA can help invest in opportunity and prosperity for all people, regardless of background or financial status, who make up the character and personality of our great country’s rural lands.”
Torres Small highlighted investments that USDA is making in 11 programs specifically designed to help people and communities in underserved rural areas. These programs are Water and Waste Disposal Grants to alleviate health risks on tribal lands and colonias, Delta Health Care Grants, Socially Disadvantaged Groups Grants, Housing Preservation Grants, Rural Community Development Initiative Grants, Tribal College Initiative Grants, Emergency Community Water Assistance Grants, Rural and Native Alaskan Village Grants, Water and Waste Disposal Loans and Grants and Community Facilities Disaster Grant Program.
The funding will benefit hundreds of thousands of people in 47 states and American Samoa. It reflects the many ways USDA Rural Development addresses economic development, infrastructure, and social service needs for rural residents and communities.
For example, in Texas, Community Council of South-Central Texas was awarded a $220,000 Housing Preservation Grant. This Rural Development investment will be used to perform critical home repairs for approximately 20 homes in rural areas outside of metropolitan areas having populations below 10,000 or in rural, unincorporated areas or communities, towns, and cities with less than 5,000 in Brewster, Crane, Culberson, Hudspeth, Jeff Davis, Pecos, Presidio, and Terrell counties of Texas. Rural Development will partner with the Department of Energy, LIHEAP Weatherization, and the energy efficiency programs of the Associates AEP Texas Central Company, and Texas New Mexico Power who will contribute $220,000 to the project.
Fort Hood Habitat for Humanity was awarded a $350,000, Housing Preservation Grant. This Rural Development investment will be used to perform critical home repair for approximately 20 homes in the rural areas of Bell, Coryell, Falls, Milam, and Lampasas counties. Rural Development will partner with the Texas Veterans Commission, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and Fort Hood Area Habitat for Humanity who combined will contribute $131,000 to the project.
GET-CAP, was awarded a $400,000 Housing Preservation Grant. This Rural Development investment will be used to perform critical home repairs for approximately 40 homes. This project will serve residents of rural areas having populations below 20,000, or in rural, unincorporated areas of communities, towns, and cities with less than 5,000 population in Anderson, Anderson, Angelina, Cherokee, Harrison, Henderson, Houston, Jasper, Nacogdoches, Panola, Polk, Sabine, San Augustine, San Jacinto, Shelby, Trinity, Tyler, Van Zandt, and Wood counties of Texas. Rural Development will partner with the Department of Energy, LIHEAP Weatherization Program, TACAA, and Oncor energy efficiency programs who will contribute $400,000 to the project.
Lufkin Neighborhood Strong was awarded a $300,000 Housing Preservation Grant. This Rural Development investment will be used to perform critical home repairs for approximately 14 homes in the rural areas of Angelina, Cherokee, San Augustine, Tyler, Nacogdoches, Houston, Jasper, Polk, and Trinity counties. Rural Development will partner with the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas, and T.L.L. Temple Foundation who will contribute an additional $300,000 to the project.
Panhandle Community Services was awarded a $200,000 Housing Preservation Grant. This Rural Development investment will be used to perform critical home repairs for approximately 25 homes. This project will serve residents of the eligible rural Armstrong, Briscoe, Carson, Castro, Childress, Collingsworth, Dallam, Deaf Smith, Donley, Gray, Hall, Hansford, Hartley, Hemphill, Hutchinson, Lipscomb, Moore, Ochiltree, Oldham, Parmer, Potter, Randall, Roberts, Sherman, Swisher, and Wheeler counties to improve the quality of life of the residents.
The Mission Brady was awarded a $35,000 Housing Preservation Grant. This Rural Development investment will be used to perform critical home repairs for approximately 10 homes in Brady, Texas. Rural Development will partner with The Mission Brady will contribute $35,000 to the project to improve the quality of life of the residents.
Austin Habitat for Humanity was awarded a $211,264 Housing Preservation Grant. This Rural Development investment will be used to perform critical home repairs for approximately eight homes in Elgin and Lockhart, Texas within the counties of Caldwell, Bastrop, and Travis. Rural Development will partner with Austin Habitat for Humanity who will contribute $683,684.00 to the project.
Galilee Community Development Corporation was awarded a $240,000 Housing Preservation Grant. This Rural Development investment will be used to perform critical home repairs to approximately 26 homes, primarily focusing on rural Grape Creek, which is a colonia outside of San Angelo in Tom Green County. The secondary target areas will be the remainder of Tom Green, Runnels, Concho, Coke, Menard, Schleicher, Sterling, Reagan, and Irion Counties. Rural Development will partner with Galilee Community Development Corporation who will contribute $120,000 to the project.
Longview Habitat for Humanity was awarded a $375,000 Housing Preservation Grant. This Rural Development investment will be used to perform critical home repairs for approximately 20 homes in rural areas of Gregg, Harrison, and Upshur. Rural Development will also partner with the Texas Veterans Commission who will contribute $105,000 to the project.
Rebuilding Together was awarded a $500,000 Housing Preservation Grant. This Rural Development investment will be used to perform critical home repairs for approximately 22 homes in rural Brazoria, Galveston, and Harris Counties. Rebuilding Together Houston will contribute $125,000 to the project.
These investments are in addition to the recent expansion of the Rural Partners Network, which is central to President Biden’s commitment to ensure all rural people can benefit from federal resources. Led by USDA with support from more than 20 federal agencies and commissions, RPN is part of an all-of-government strategy to champion rural people and places, including Native American communities.
Under the leadership of the Biden-Harris Administration, Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities, create jobs, and improve the quality of life for millions of Americans in rural areas. This assistance supports infrastructure improvements, business development, housing, community facilities, such as schools, public safety and healthcare, and high-speed internet access in rural, tribal, and high-poverty areas. For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov.
USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. Under the leadership of the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate-smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit www.usda.gov.
Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities, create jobs, and improve the quality of life for millions of Americans in rural areas. This assistance supports infrastructure improvements, business development, housing, community facilities such as schools, public safety, healthcare; high-speed internet access in rural, tribal, and high-poverty areas.
For more information, visit https://www.rd.usda.gov If you’d like to subscribe to USDA Rural Development updates, visit our GovDelivery subscriber page. To learn more, visit www.rd.usda.gov/TX.
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