Ryan Thorn, U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development West Virginia state director, announced that Rural Development is extending a pilot program for people in West Virginia seeking homeownership. The pilot program allows families and individuals to access affordable financing to build manufactured homes in rural communities.
“Everyone deserves to live in a safe and affordable home,” said Thorn. “Having a place to call home is the foundation for so much else in life. The Biden-Harris Administration is committed to helping families and individuals in our rural communities achieve the dream of homeownership. This program expands opportunities for homeownership, strengthens our rural communities and helps people build wealth and achieve financial stability.”
This announcement supports the Biden-Harris Administration’s Housing Supply Action Plan, which seeks to boost new financing mechanisms to build and supply quality and affordable homes.
Financing for the pilot program is made possible through the Single Family Housing Direct Loans program and the Single Family Housing Guaranteed Loan program.
USDA launched the pilot program in 2016 and renewed it in 2022 until Nov. 4, 2024.
Through the extension, USDA will continue to waive regulatory requirements for applicants seeking financing to build manufactured homes until May 1, 2025.
For instance, applicants may use loans to finance existing manufactured homes and modular homes. Applicants may also use loans to build energy-efficient manufactured and modular homes if they are leasing the land the home will be built on.
The department expects to issue a final rule in 2025 to make these waivers permanent. Additional information will be made available in the coming months.
For more information about the pilot extension, see page 82484 of the Oct. 11 Federal Register.
The Single Family Housing Direct Home Loans program helps low- and very-low-income applicants obtain decent and safe homes in rural areas.
The Single Family Housing Guaranteed Loan program assists approved lenders in providing low- and moderate-income individuals buy or build modest, decent and safe homes in eligible rural areas.
