Housing requirements in rural areas

Schussheim, Morton J. (Author)

1986

Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

Federal housing policy for rural areas is now at a crossroads. Since 1949 more than two million rural families have received benefits through housing programs of the Farmers Home Administration (FmHA) and about 700,000 through the deep-subsidy programs of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Early in 1985 the Reagan Administration proposed that additional aid under these programs be suspended for two years, after which all subsidized housing in rural areas would be provided by HUD. While Congress has not yet concurred in these proposed changes, deep cutbacks in proggram levels are expected in the process of reducing the Federal budget deficit.

In this transition period, legislators and community groups are going back to the drawing board and asking basic questions about rural housing needs and programs. The questions include the following: (1) What kinds of housing difficulties face low and moderate income families in rural areas? (2) Is there a chronic credit gap for housing in rural areas? (3) What is the connection between the problems of the farm economy and housing problems in rural areas? (4) Are the Federal and State programs now in place able to deal effectively with these problems? (5) Are additional or alternative measures--private as well as public--called for?

Morton J. Schussheim, Senior Specialist in Housing.

CRS 86-517 S

"January 17, 1986."

SuDoc# 14. 18/3

eng

1986-01-01T00:00:00Z

20 pages

book

text