Rural Development works to eliminate substandard housing from rural America by helping rural people buy, build or rent decent housing. It also creates jobs by funding the growth and creation of rural businesses and cooperatives. In a typical year, Rural Development programs create or preserve more than 150,000 rural jobs, enable 40,000 to 50,000 rural Americans to buy homes and help 450,000 low-income rural people rent apartments or other housing.
Other Rural Development programs help rural communities build or improve community facilities, such as schools, health clinics and fire stations. Other Rural Development programs help rural communities build or extend utilities, including water, electricity and telecommunications services.
Rural Development supports loans to businesses through bank and community-managed lending pools to promote economic development.
