Skip to main content
Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
News by Topic: Housing and homelessness

Mar 25, 2024 - Highlights challenges with maintaining rural rental housing in places where affordable new housing is scarce. Describes federal programs working to preserve existing rental housing.
Source: The Daily Yonder
Mar 19, 2024 - Notice of final rule from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Housing Service (RHS) amending the current regulation for the Multifamily Family Housing (MFH) Section 538 Guaranteed Rural Rental Housing Program (GRRHP). These changes are designed to provide RHS with flexibility in its decision-making to fully address these evolving priorities in housing market demands without regulatory changes to the priority-points scoring criteria and improve the customer experience with more timely and proactive responses to housing market demands without frequent regulatory changes. This rule is effective April 18, 2024.
Source: Federal Register
Mar 18, 2024 - Notice of final rule from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Housing Service (RHS) updating its regulations and implementing changes related to the administration of property reserve accounts under the Multi-Family Housing (MFH) section 515, Rural Rental Housing (RRH), and section 514, 516 Farm Labor Housing (FLH) programs in order to increase flexibility in project refinancing for additional capital improvements. This rule is effective April 17, 2024.
Source: Federal Register
Mar 18, 2024 - The Rural Housing Service (RHS) is accepting applications for subsequent Section 514 Off-Farm Labor Housing (Off-FLH) loans and subsequent Section 516 Off-FLH grants to improve, repair, or make modifications to existing Off-Farm Labor Housing Properties for fiscal year 2024. This program aims to increase the supply of affordable housing for farm laborers. Applications will be accepted until June 18, 2024.
Source: Federal Register
Mar 11, 2024 - Describes how a conventional mobile home park became a resident-owed community that offers affordable housing options in rural Minnesota.
Source: The Daily Yonder
Mar 2, 2024 - Highlights a rural California town introducing a shade equity master plan to address the dangers of extreme heat. Discusses rural specific issues such as limited infrastructure and unsafe homes that make heat burden unequally experienced. Notes the disparate impact felt by farmworkers in this agriculture-heavy region.
Source: AP News
Feb 12, 2024 - The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) will hold a virtual public meeting of the Advisory Committee on Tribal and Indian Affairs from February 27-29, 2024. The Committee will provide advice and guidance to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs on all matters relating to Indian tribes, tribal organizations, Native Hawaiian organizations, and Native American Veterans. The agenda will include, among other things, updates on the Native American Direct Loan Program; homeless programs; Choctaw Nation Behavioral Health/VA Staff Sergeant Fox Grant for suicide prevention, family counseling, women's domestic violence program; the Tribal Veteran Service Officer Representation Expansion Project; Reimbursement Agreement Program/Tribal Health Programs/Purchase Referred Care expansion; claims clinic events in Indian Country; and the VA Office of Connected Care.
Source: Federal Register
Feb 6, 2024 - The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) will hold a virtual public meeting of the Advisory Committee on Tribal and Indian Affairs from February 27-29, 2024. The Committee will provide advice and guidance to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs on all matters relating to Indian tribes, tribal organizations, Native Hawaiian organizations, and Native American Veterans. The agenda will include, among other things, updates on the Native American Direct Loan Program; homeless programs; Choctaw Nation Behavioral Health/VA Staff Sergeant Fox Grant for suicide prevention, family counseling, women's domestic violence program; the Tribal Veteran Service Officer Representation Expansion Project; Reimbursement Agreement Program/Tribal Health Programs/Purchase Referred Care expansion; claims clinic events in Indian Country; and the VA Office of Connected Care.
Source: Federal Register
Feb 5, 2024 - Profiles a homeless teen in rural Texas and discusses lack of access to homeless shelters and other support services rural homeless youth may need. Notes that data gathering challenges means rural homeless teens are likely undercounted. Describes the impact of her homelessness on her physical and mental health.
Source: The Texas Tribune
Feb 2, 2024 - The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Advisory Council (NAC) will hold a virtual public meeting on February 29, 2024, from 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Eastern. Agenda items include remarks from the Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use; updates on SAMHSA priorities; follow up on topics from the previous meeting; updates on SAMHSA priorities; and presentations and discussions on Recovery Oriented Systems of Care (ROSC); the release of the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention (NSSP) and how 988 fits into it; homelessness; and a general council discussion and public comments. Registration is required to attend the meeting. Individuals interested in making oral presentations must notify Carlos Castillo by 1:00 p.m. Eastern on February 22, 2024.
Source: Federal Register