NATIONAL RURAL HOUSING COALITION 1331 G Street, N.W., 10Th Floor, Washington, DC 20005 (202) 393-5225 Fax (202) 393-3034
NATIONAL RURAL HOUSING COALITION 1331 G Street, N.W., 10th Floor, Washington, DC 20005 (202) 393-5225 fax (202) 393-3034 http://ruralhousingcoalition.org/ April 14, 2015 The Honorable Jerry Moran The Honorable Jeff Merkley Chairman, Subcommittee on Agriculture, Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Administration, and Related Agencies Committee on Appropriations Committee on Appropriations U.S. Senate U.S. Senate Washington DC 20515 Washington DC 20515 Dear Chairman Moran and Ranking Member Merkley: We, the undersigned 1,909 rural organizations and advocates, write to express our support for U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Housing programs and our strong opposition to the reductions proposed in the President’s Fiscal Year 2016 (FY16) Budget Request. We respectfully request full funding for USDA Rural Housing Programs in FY16. Despite significant need in rural America, the Obama Administration has not made rural housing and rural development a high priority over the last several years. The Administration continued this trend in its FY16 Budget Request by proposing to decrease the Budget Authority for USDA Rural Housing programs by more than $27 million. The hardest hit program is the highly successful Section 523 Mutual Self-Help Housing program. Under the program, small groups of 6 to 12 families come together on nights and weekends to build their own homes. In doing so, Self-Help Housing families can reduce construction costs, earn equity in their homes, and build lasting communities. This is exactly the type of program that the Administration should champion: Self-Help Housing encourages self-reliance and hard work, helps families build wealth, stimulates local economies, and is in high demand with over 35,000 families currently on wait lists for the program.
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