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HAC Letter to Editor Published in Washington Post
On
April 6, 2007, the Washington Post published a front-page story, headed "Rural Aid Goes to Urban Areas,"
describing the use of U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development funds for facilities and infrastructure in metropolitan and high-income places. On April 11, it published an editorial based on the information provided in that article.
On April 6, the day the original article was published, the Housing Assistance Council sent the following letter to the editor. HAC did not put its letter on its website or send it elsewhere at that time because the Post will not accept letters that have been published elsewhere.
To the Editor:
Gilbert M. Gaul and Sarah Cohen’s story,“Rural Aid Goes to Urban Areas” (Friday, April 6), highlights USDA Rural Development investments in some facilities located in wealthy communities or urban areas and accurately describes the difficulties of defining rural areas. The Housing Assistance Council (HAC) – a national nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting housing development for the poorest of the poor in the most rural areas – vehemently opposes the use of Rural Development funding in wealthy vacation destinations to benefit well-heeled residents and tourists. It is important to recognize, however, that creating new jobs in resort areas may be the best way to help low-income residents improve their lives.
USDA’s housing programs, which are available only to lower-income rural people, have improved the living conditions of thousands of poor rural residents. Since 2001, agency funding has provided direct mortgages for over 80,000 low- and very low-income families, rehabilitation of nearly 65,000 houses for seniors and very low-income families, and creation of more than 7,000 rental homes and almost 4,000 units for farmworkers. When its resources are targeted to low-income families and poor, isolated communities, Rural Development works.
To make rural states like Montana more competitive with urban states like New Jersey, Rural Development should increase its investment in building the capacity of small, rural nonprofit organizations and local governments and agencies, which use or help residents to use the available assistance.
HAC applauds the Post’s coverage of rural issues and encourages you to take a broad look at rural America and the work of Rural Development in future articles.
Sincerely,
Moises Loza
Executive Director
On April 15, the Post published an edited version of HAC's letter, as follows.
The USDA's Housing Help
The April 6 front-page article "Rural Aid Goes to Urban Areas; USDA Development Program Helps Suburbs, Resort Cities" highlighted investments in some facilities in wealthy communities and urban areas, and it accurately described the difficulty of defining what is rural.
The Housing Assistance Council, a national nonprofit organization supporting housing development for the poorest of the poor in the most rural areas, vehemently opposes the use of Agriculture Department Rural Development funding in wealthy vacation destinations to benefit well-heeled residents and tourists.
The USDA's housing programs, however, which are available only to lower-income rural people, have improved the living conditions of thousands of poor rural residents.
Moises Loza
Executive Director
Housing Assistance Council
Washington
On April 23, the Post published a letter from USDA Under Secretary for Rural Development Thomas C. Dorr.
Posted: April 16, 2007
Updated: April 26, 2007
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