News by Topic: Community development

News from the past 14 days. Please visit the News Archive for earlier stories.

Dealing with Broadband's Rural Downside     Top Story 
Nov 19, 2009 -- Daily Yonder article discusses how broadband will benefit rural communities, but it has downsides, too. Rural communities should plan now to make this new technology serve their interests.

HOPE VI Main Street Grants; Notice of Funding Availability     Federal Register 
Nov 18, 2009 -- The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announces the availability of funding for the HOPE VI Main Street program to provide grants to small communities to assist in the rejuvenation of an historic or traditional central business district or "Main Street" area by replacing unused commercial space in buildings with affordable housing units.
Learn more about: HOPE VI Main Street Program

Rewiring an Old Fund for Rural Broadband     Top Story 
Nov 17, 2009 -- Daily Yonder article reports that over the past two weeks, as health care legislation passed by a hair through the U.S. Congress, other policy changes have steadily unfolded that will improve the fortunes of rural community broadband.

Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD); Recovery Act--Green Retrofit Program for Multifamily Housing, Notice of Closing of Application Solicitation     Federal Register 
Nov 16, 2009 -- In this notice HUD announces that they will cease accepting applications as of November 18, 2009, for the Recovery Act--Green Retrofit Program for Multifamily Housing program.
Learn more about: Green Retrofit Program for Multifamily Housing Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009

Free Land the Key to Small Towns' Growth?     Top Story 
Nov 16, 2009 -- Des Moines Register, (IA) article via Center for Rural Affairs tells how the small town of Manilla, Iowa, offers free land and suspends property taxes for five years for those who build a home in their developments, a throwback to how plains states were homesteaded in the 1800s.

Broadband Grants to be Made More Quickly     Top Story 
Nov 12, 2009 -- Daily Yonder article reports that the Obama Administration promised that it would work more quickly to issue money under the $7.2 billion broadband deployment grant program.

Guarantee Fee Rates for Guaranteed Loans for Fiscal Year 2010; Maximum Portion of Guarantee Authority Available for Fiscal Year 2010; Annual Renewal Fee for Fiscal Year 2010     Federal Register 
Nov 12, 2009 -- In this notice Rural Development announces the new annual renewal fee for loans made under the Business and Industry (B&I) Guaranteed Loan Program and the Rural Energy for America (Section 9007; formerly Section 9006 Renewable Energy Systems and Energy Efficiency Improvements Program) Guaranteed Loan Program.

Speak Your Piece: A Rural Medical Miracle     Top Story 
Nov 12, 2009 -- Daily Yonder article tells of the city owned Summersville Regional Medical Center in West Virginia that provides great care and it is among the lowest cost hospitals in the U.S.