Tammye Trevino, Rural Development Housing Administrator, joined me in recognizing two Missouri families in a celebration of reaching the American Dream of homeownership on Monday, June 14, 2010. Read more »

By Michael Jones, USDA Public Affairs Director, Ohio

Tammye Trevino, USDA Rural Development Administrator for Housing and Community Facilities, visited Columbus, Ohio recently to participate in the sixth of 10 scheduled Self-Help Housing Forums being held around the country. Joining her on the panel were Ohio’s First Lady Frances Strickland and Ohio Rural Development State Director Tony Logan.

More than 50 participants from Ohio and surrounding states attended the forum and engaged in a free-flowing exchange of ideas to improve the administration and effectiveness of Rural Development’s Self-Help Housing Program.

Part of the dialogue centered on incorporating new strategies aimed at increasing nationwide participation and ultimate success in the program. Participants collectively expressed concern about the financial stability and timely distribution of the program’s funding, particularly to organizations that have documented home building experience and proven operational success.

Moderated by Mrs. Strickland, Ohio’s forum included comments from two of Ohio’s most successful Self-Help Housing Program proponents. Representatives from both the Fayette County Community Action Agency and Three Rivers Housing Corporation provided valuable input about how they’ve used the program as well as offering suggestions about adjustments they would make to help improve its operation.

Ohio’s Self-Help Program has an impressive record of helping families achieve their dream of home ownership. Since 1992 Ohio’s self-help housing organizations have used more than $22.7 million in Rural Development funding to assist 240 families join the home ownership ranks.

Tammye Treviño, USDA Rural Development Housing and Community Facilities Administrator sponsored Librarian Forum at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development headquarters in San Juan, Puerto Rico, earlier this month.

Eighty nine librarians participated in the activity. Most of them work for the State & Municipal government, others for non-profit & faith based organizations. They all agreed that most of the libraries in Puerto Rico are in need of new equipments, books, and computers. In some cases the construction of a new library will be the best alternative.

Ms. Treviño explained the Library Initiative Program has a $100 million budget for the nation. She urged the librarians to submit their proposal before June 30, 2010. The reason is that if one state will not use the funds, other states could have access to them.

The meeting was attended by José Otero-García, USDA Rural Development State Director for Puerto Rico and Nereida Rodríguez, Community Program Director. The diversity of issues discussed was amazing and each librarian had a success story to tell. The activity was covered by El Nuevo Día Newspaper.

Written by Miguel A. Ramírez Public Affairs Coordinator USDA Rural Development, Puerto Rico

U.S. Senator Blanche Lincoln recently welcomed USDA Rural Development Administrator for Housing and Community Facilities Tammye Trevino to Little Rock for the department’s first of ten public forums on the Self-Help Housing Program.

Over eighty people from Arkansas and surrounding states attended the forum held at the William Jefferson Clinton Library.  In addition from hearing from Senator Lincoln, Administrator Trevino, and Lawrence McCullough, USDA, Rural Development State Director, Arkansas Self Help Housing Grantees spoke.  The forum provided the opportunity to share their personal experiences with the program.

Also while in Arkansas, Administrator Trevino participated in another forum at the Arkansas Studies Institute, focusing on rural libraries. Ms. Trevino announced an initiative to a crowd of over seventy, librarians, mayors, city officials and representatives of local businesses.

Immediately following the Rural Library Listening Forum, Ms. Trevino made the announcement of the selection of community based organizations in 18 states to receive funding to promote economic growth.  The organizations will receive more than $6.5 million in total grants to support rural economic development efforts.

Left to right: Lawrence McCullough, Arkansas State Director, Tammye Trevino, USDA Administrator for Housing and Community Facilities and Chairman of the U.S. Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee, U.S. Sen. Blanche Lincoln.

Written by Karen Petrus, USDA Rural Development, Arkansas

Over 100 people gathered in St. Clair, Missouri City Hall gymnasium earlier this month to celebrate the provision of  $2,500,000 to USDA Rural Development ( (RD) from Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLB-Des Moines).   Tammye Trevino, Rural Development’s Rural Housing Administrator joined me in accepting the funds in recognition of an outstanding partnership with FHLB-Des Moines, the Meramec Regional Planning Commission and the eight Multi-Family Housing (MFH) complexes that received grant funding for rehabilitation during 2009.

Having Administrator Trevino present was a tremendous honor and a highlight for all in attendance.  She said, “Our goal is to make necessary improvements and bring a higher standard of living to the elderly and disabled residents of the properties receiving these funds. This financing is an example of the commitment by the Obama Administration to leverage public and private resources to increase economic opportunities and improve the quality of life for rural Missourians

We were very pleased to have the support of our federal elected officials represented by: Rachel McCombs with Senator “Kit” Bond; Jerryl Christmas with Senator Claire McCaskill; and Dan Engeman with Representative Blaine Luetkemeyer.

Missouri’s RD multi-family housing (MFH) portfolio of about 750 complexes and 18,000 units has been the largest or next to the largest in the nation for many years.   Approximately 40 percent of this caseload was loans made to volunteer, non- profit boards that provided housing for the elderly and disabled.  Since many of these complexes were built in the early 70’s the need for repairs and rehabilitation was becoming critical.  There was also a sincere desire to keep the rental rates low and reasonable since many of the elderly and disabled tenants had very limited income, typically below $8,000.  Since federal funds were limited we here in Missouri found a “white knight” in the FHLB-Des Moines Affordable Housing Program.

Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines is a wholesale cooperative bank that provides low-cost short and long term funding and community lending to more than 1,200 member banks. It devotes 10 percent of its net income each year to affordable housing.

Through my relationship with Curt Heidt, FHLB-Des Moines Vice President and Community Investment Officer, we were able to brainstorm and mold a plan to help our Missouri RD Section 515 MFH properties using their Affordable Housing Program (AHP).  The AHP was designed to help FHLB-Des Moines member financial institutions and their community partners develop affordable housing for low-to moderate-income households.   Some of the improvements have included new roofs, new energy efficient exterior doors and windows, new carpet, new appliances, new cabinets and upgrading to a more energy efficient heating and air conditioning systems.

My sincere thanks to Curt Heidt and the FHLB-Des Moines leadership team, the FHLB-Des Moines Board of Directors and the Affordable Housing Advisory Council for their commitment and funding support of this tremendously valuable program for rehabilitation of our MFH senior properties.  It was a big step for them to enter the realm of our rental program but without their help, Missouri residents would have lost many of these properties.  Now, not only are the properties available, but they also have a “face-lift”  with things such as central heating and air, which most of us take for granted and they can remain affordable for our residents.

Some of the other partners in this process have been grant writers such as the staff of Regional Planning Commissions (RPC) or Community Action Agencies who have done an outstanding job with the grant writing process.  Also, without a doubt a big thank you on the success of this program has been the volunteer boards that have dedicated countless hours with the ultimate goal of providing high quality affordable living options for the elderly and disabled in the many rural communities across Missouri.  Finally, these grants would not have been available were it not for the involvement, participation, and sponsorship of FHLB local member banks and their commitment to this program and the benefit to their elderly in their communities.

Clifford Crawford, a resident of Leasburg Senior Citizens Home, one of the 2009 grant recipients, spoke on behalf of many residents by providing inspiring comments regarding how grateful they were to Federal Home Loan Bank and USDA Rural Development for the repairs and rehabilitation of their apartments.

I also want to recognize our RD national leadership for its help.  The MFH program is a labor intensive program but through a “labor of love” the Missouri RD staff have partnered with FHLB, the grant writers, contractors, owners and volunteers and been truly committed to providing affordable housing to our senior citizens and for that I am very proud and thankful.

Clifford Crawford, resident of Leasburg Senior Citizens Home, speaking on behalf of the many residents that benefited with the FHLB grant funds to repair and rehab the RD MFH properties. State Director Dunning is seated second from right and Administrator Trevino is seated on the far right.

One of the four plexes at the St. Clair MFH property, rehabilitated with FHLB funding.

Submitted by: Janie Dunning, Missouri State Director, & George Thomas, Public Information Coordinator