OPINION: GUEST COLUMN: USDA Rural Development celebrates National Homeownership Month

Jun. 28—In my travels around rural Kentucky, I have seen how Rural Development's housing programs can lift families up and make dreams come true. In March, I had the opportunity to join Gov. Andy Beshear and Seth Long from HOMES Inc. in Ermine, Ky., to celebrate work beginning on a home being built for flood survivor William Gross and his son, Jason, who lost their home in the historic flooding in July 2022.

Since last summer's tragic flooding, I've continually been impressed by cooperation between local, state, and federal governments and our amazing non-profits. It's such a breath of fresh air to see people coming together to help those impacted by the flooding.

I'm so incredibly proud of the role we play in helping families across the Commonwealth buy, build, or repair their homes. Through the years, USDA Rural Development, along with our non-profit partners and guaranteed lenders, has helped millions of home buyers across the country achieve the dream of homeownership. Here in Kentucky, we helped over 3,000 families last year alone, and we continue looking for ways to extend this opportunity in our rural communities.

We know that expanding opportunities for homeownership strengthens our rural communities and helps build wealth and achieve financial stability. That's why, each year during June, we celebrate National Homeownership Month. This celebration showcases our successes as well as the resources we have to help others achieve the same dream.

Rural Development has many resources to support affordable housing and help rural residents create a path to a better future — especially in historically underserved communities that need our help now more than ever. Safe, affordable housing is essential to the vitality of every community.

Under the leadership of President Biden, Vice President Harris and Agriculture Secretary Vilsack, USDA is making sure rural and Tribal communities — especially those that have been overlooked in the past — have equitable access to resources to become homeowners and get access to affordable, safe and decent rental housing.

The Biden-Harris administration has already invested over $179 million to help almost 1,100 people buy, build and repair homes in rural Kentucky through USDA Rural Development's Single Family Housing Programs.

USDA will continue to expand the reach of our housing programs so that everyone in rural Kentucky and across rural America has the opportunity to find a home they deserve, one that fits with whatever stage of life they find themselves.

You can learn more about our housing resources by visiting our website or by calling 859-224-7300.