In today’s housing market downturn, New Jersey and Arizona are fortunate to have been selected as two of the 19 states to participate in the USDA Guaranteed Single Family Housing Refinance Pilot Program.  In New Jersey, many homeowners are struggling to make ends meet especially with high interest mortgage rates.  This program, when implemented, can benefit as many as 3000 rural homeowners in the “Garden State.”  A healthy and strong housing market is vital to sustaining New Jersey’s current economic recovery.

(left to right) Dominick Ferrante, Representing Congressman Robert Andrews; USDA Rural Development State Director Howard Henderson; Housing Administrator Tammye Treviño; Pat Delaney, Sun National Bank; and Robert Angradi, Oak Mortgage Company discuss the refinance pilot program at the New Jersey roundtable meeting.

USDA Housing Administrator Tammye Treviño was in New Jersey earlier this month to facilitate a roundtable meeting on the rural refinance pilot program.  Joining Administrator Treviño in these discussions were lenders, credit & housing counselors, Congressional staff, and Rural Development representatives. Read more »

(L to R) Jane C.W. Vincent, HUD Regional Administrator; Tammye Trevino, USDA Housing and Community Facilities Administrator; Thomas P. Williams, USDA Rural Development State Director; Brian A. Hudson Sr., PHFA Executive Director and CEO

In a step forward in the Obama Administration’s desire to streamline government policies and build stronger inter-agency partnerships, USDA Rural Development, the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency (PHFA) jointly announced the launch of a pilot program that will reduce regulatory burdens on affordable housing developers and owners. The program will help state and federal agencies better serve low-income families who rent their homes by reducing regulations across several layers of government. Read more »

USDA Rural Development Housing Administrator Tammye Trevino and Rural Development Louisiana State Director Clarence Hawkins kick-started the new year by holding a White House Business Council Stakeholder’s meeting in Luling, Louisiana, located in St. Charles Parish near New Orleans.  The focus of the stakeholder’s meeting was rural housing.  The focus fit perfectly in line with Administrator Trevino’s primary reason for visiting Louisiana.

Administrator Trevino, along with Bryan Hooper, Deputy Administrator of USDA’s Multi-Family Housing Division each served as presenters on the Council for Affordable and Rural Housing (CARH) 2012 mid-year meeting in New Orleans.  CARH is a national nonprofit trade organization focusing on issues affecting rural housing.  The theme for this year’s meeting was “Transforming Rural Housing: Innovative Tools and Dynamic Initiatives for Tomorrow.” Read more »

Earlier today I announced on behalf of Secretary Tom Vilsack that 19 tribal colleges in nine states have been awarded grants through the USDA Rural Development’s Tribal College Initiative Grant program, part of our Community Facilities program.  Funding will be used to upgrade Tribal college facilities and promote energy savings efforts.

Investing in Tribal educational facilities is key to increasing economic development in Native communities. These institutions and the students and faculty will benefit from funding that will enable them to provide enhanced educational opportunities and create jobs. Read more »

Tammye Trevino, the Administrator of USDA Rural Development’s Housing and Community Facilities programs, participated in a groundbreaking ceremony for a renovation and expansion project for Riverwood Healthcare Center in Aitkin, Minn. on May 11.

The $21 million expansion will result in improved healthcare services for the entire region. Perhaps just as importantly, the project will provide an economic boost through job creation and economic development opportunities created by modern healthcare facilities. Read more »

State Director Vernita F. Dore, Ty'Sheoma Bethea and Tammye Treviño, Administrator for Housing and Community Facilities Programs at the Dillon Middle School groundbreaking ceremony in Dillon, South Carolina.

Tammye Treviño, Administrator for Housing and Community Facilities Programs, and USDA Rural Development State Director, Vernita F. Dore participated in groundbreaking ceremonies for three different schools in Dillon County on Monday, April 18, 2011. Read more »