RUTHERFORDTON, N.C., June 2, 2023 – Rural Housing Service Administrator Joaquin Altoro, Rural Development State Director Reginald Speight and Dogwood Health Trust celebrated the American Dream of homeownership with a ribbon cutting ceremony and toured sites being repurposed into affordable workforce housing in Western North Carolina today.
The Rural Development Team were joined by representatives from several federal and state officials who were interested in seeing the advancement in Creekwood Meadows and RS Middle School.
“To see how these buildings that served our community for generations are getting a second chance to become a home for educators and other school employees is exciting for a profession that is woefully underpaid for the work they do for our students,” said Speight after touring the RS Middle School property that is being renovated into 51 affordable apartments for local teachers and other school employees.
USDA Rural Development is partnering with Dogwood Health Trust with renovations in the Western North Carolina.
"Rutherford County has leveraged investments from federal and state funders, local foundations and municipalities to preserve and create generational wealth for its residents," said Dr. Susan Mims, CEO of Dogwood Health Trust. "We're proud to host this affordable housing collaboration tour and celebrate how affordable housing can be developed effectively through creative, multi-faceted partnerships that have an impact far beyond the buildings themselves."
Speight and members of his Rural Development Team are participating in events celebrating National Homeownership Month across the state in June.
Background
Under 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 health care; and high-speed internet access in rural, Tribal and high-poverty areas. For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov. If you’d like to subscribe to USDA Rural Development updates, visit our GovDelivery subscriber page.
USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. Under the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, promoting competition and 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.
###
USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lenders