USDA Invests $291 Million in Rural Infrastructure

“Modern community facilities and infrastructure are key drivers of rural prosperity,” said Assistant to the Secretary for Rural Development Anne Hazlett. “As partners to municipal, tribal and nonprofit leaders, we are investing in rural communities to ensure quality of life and economic opportunity now and for generations to come.”

USDA is investing in 41 projects through the Community Facilities Direct Loan Program. The funding helps rural small towns, cities and communities make infrastructure improvements and provide essential facilities such as schools, libraries, courthouses, public safety facilities, hospitals, colleges and day care centers.

The projects will help improve the quality of life in rural areas in Alaska, Alabama, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Massachusetts, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and Washington.
Projects include:

• The Tahlequah Area Habitat for Humanity Inc. in Oklahoma will receive a $642,100 loan to purchase land and construct a building where donated items will be received and sold. The project will combine the home improvement and clothing stores in a single location. The store will provide Tahlequah’s 15,753 residents with access to quality household goods and clothing at discounted prices.
• In the Leino Park Water District of Massachusetts, a $1.1 million loan will be used to replace a dilapidated bridge. This project will address an urgent public safety hazard affecting 7,277 residents.
• In North Carolina, the city of Rockingham will use a $6.7 million loan to construct a 40,000-square-foot building. The city will own the building and lease it to Richmond Community College to provide space for the School of Business and Information Technology. This project will benefit the area’s 9,558 residents.

More than 100 types of projects are eligible for Community Facilities program funding. Eligible applicants include municipalities, public bodies, nonprofit organizations and federally and state-recognized Native American tribes. Applicants and projects must be in rural areas with a population of 20,000 or less. Loan amounts have ranged from $10,000 to $165 million.

USDA Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities and create jobs in rural areas. This assistance supports infrastructure improvements; business development; housing; community services such as schools, public safety and health care; and high-speed internet access in rural areas. For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov.

Source: USDA