The legislation allows more than 900 communities nationwide to retain their status as “rural” areas where residents have access to important rural housing programs that help low- and very-low income households obtain homeownership or suitable rental housing. This will enable millions of Americans to maintain access to critical rural housing programs.
NAHB estimates that this will generate $1.2 billion more investment in housing in these areas, including new single-family and multifamily construction and remodeling.
One NAHB member summed up the legislation this way: “The Farm Bill alone will keep many small builders in business.”
The USDA redraws its maps defining rural areas following every census, and the maps drawn after the 2010 census would have removed these communities from the program due to their population.
NAHB’s action to insert the rural housing provision into the Farm Bill provides a long-term solution because the legislation keeps the current maps and extends the population definition of a rural area to 35,000 until after the 2020 census.
House passage of the Farm Bill is a great example of NAHB in action, so pass the word to your members on this great news for our industry.
If you need a media contact list for your local market, contact Elizabeth Thompson at 800-368-5242 x8495.