USDA Rural Development - The Director's Rural Infrastructure News

September 12, 2022

Monday, September 12, 2022

Kyle Wilkens, Missouri State Director, USDA Rural Development

The mornings and evenings are getting a bit cooler, and the sun is setting a little later each evening allowing the Friday night lights to shine a bit brighter. Doves are flying and the corn harvest is beginning. It is always exciting here in Missouri when the seasons start to turn. The sunrise over the Mississippi River in Hannibal this past week was one to behold. The city of Hannibal hosted the annual North East Community Action Corporation (NECAC) Housing Summit and USDA Rural Development was excited to attend. NECAC encompasses at 12-county service area in NE Missouri and is one of 19 community action agencies in the state. NECAC has been a partner of USDA Rural Development for decades.

Expanding opportunities for homeownership and rental assistance strengthens rural communities. Access to affordable housing helps families and individuals build wealth and achieve financial stability. This month, I want to highlight the ways USDA can help folks in rural communities buy, repair, and build homes through USDA Rural Development’s single family housing programs.

Missouri RD staff is eager to help you and your family create a home that will make you proud. USDA Rural Development can work with lenders and community partners to open the door to homeownership for rural Americans who have been unserved or underserved for far too long.

USDA Rural Development offers two programs for eligible applicants to purchase or construct homes in rural areas with no down payment required. Below is brief information and links to each of the programs’ webpages to learn more information.

The USDA Rural Development Single Family Direct Home Loan program offers zero down payment mortgages for eligible very-low and low-income applicants for properties in rural areas. As a first step, I encourage you to complete the Single-Family Housing Self-Assessment on our website to determine if this program appears to be good fit for you. If the self-assessment tool results indicate that the above program does not appear to be a good fit at this time because you are over the maximum allowable income limit, then the following program may be an option as it has a higher allowable income limit.

The USDA Rural Development Single Family Housing Guaranteed Loan Program assists approved lenders provide zero down payment mortgages for eligible low- and moderate-income applicants for properties in rural areas. If you would like to apply for a guaranteed loan, you would need to reach out to an approved lender (the current list of active lenders is located on the program webpage under the “To Apply” tab). Please note, USDA Rural Development does not endorse any specific private sector lenders. We encourage you to comparison shop between lenders to find the best service and financial options available. The approved lender you select will handle the entire loan application process, working with Rural Development staff to ensure your loan is guaranteed through the agency.

Visit the Single Family Housing program webpage or contact a Rural Development State Office to learn more about USDA homeownership programs near you.

Mark Twain was quoted as saying the following about his home: “To us, our house was not insentient matter -- it had a heart, and a soul, and eyes to see us with; and approvals and solicitudes and deep sympathies; it was of us, and we were in its confidence, and lived in its grace and in the peace of its benediction.” I cannot help but think of both my grandparents homes when reading this quote and cannot imagine anyone else having these feelings about their home or homes they grew up in. Rural Development is here to help every Missourian that needs and wants a home of their own achieve that goal.

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 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.

Always feel free to reach out to us at Rural Development by visiting our website www.rd.usda.gov/mo, emailing us at RDMissouri@usda.gov, or calling us at (573) 876-0976 to get more information on any of USDA Rural Development’s programs.

Rural Development staff live and work in the very communities they serve.

Currently we are looking for a Civil Engineer to join our team. Duties include:

Advises and consults with private groups, public bodies, and state and/or Federal agencies on the civil engineering aspects of projects financed by loan and grant programs.

Provides technical guidance for project eligibility and priority.

Reviews and concurs with Agreements for Engineering Services, construction project preliminary plans, drawings, designs, specifications, and cost estimates.

Works with staff, applicants, and their consultants with respect to the suitability of proposed Preliminary Engineering Reports (PER) as well as other documents associated with applications for funding and projects approved for funding.

Prepares procedures for use by staff for carrying out engineering and related program activities and for training purposes.

Interested candidates should submit their resume by email to clark.thomas@usda.gov. If you have questions, please contact 573-876-9325.

From one neighbor to another, let us know if you need us. Always feel free to reach out to us at Rural Development by visiting our website www.rd.usda.gov/mo, emailing us at RDMissouri@usda.gov, or calling us at (573) 876-0976 to get more information on any of USDA Rural Development’s programs.

Thank you,

Kyle Wilkens

USDA Rural Development Missouri State Director

www.rd.usda.gov/mo