 Rural Development staff who administer Single-Family
Housing Direct Loan & Grant Programs are providing this guidance to
reassure the public, our self-help grantees, approved
intermediaries, packagers, funding partners, real estate
professionals and other interested stakeholders of our continued
business operations in this evolving environment.
Excellent customer service and the safety of our customers and staff
remain our highest priorities. To help mitigate potential program
delivery concerns during this time of uncertainty, we offer the
following guidance, flexibility, and information to our customers:
-
Site assessments of existing homes and new construction sites by
RD staff may be waived to protect the safety of our staff and
our most vulnerable customers.
-
Appraisal orders through our vendors are continuing with minimal
disruption.
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For eligible applicants who have been issued a Certificate of
Eligibility and are impacted by COVID-19, an extension of
eligibility is available. For approved applicants with a pending
loan closing, please contact USDA staff so that we can work with
your closing agent and other parties to potentially coordinate
the closing via mail or email.
-
Pre-construction conferences and reviews of work in progress can
occur by phone or through qualified third parties.
-
Applicants must remain eligible for assistance at the time of
approval and closing. If an adverse change to an applicant’s
income or credit has occurred prior to closing, additional
payment assistance subsidy may be available.
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Self-Help grantee organizations are encouraged to limit workers
to immediate family members or small groups of 10 or less at
work sites. This alternative method of construction may take
some additional coordination and scheduling but will enable
families to continue working on new homes. Volunteer labor
outside of immediate household members is discouraged,
especially for higher-risk populations. We understand that this
can cause delays, so requests for grant amendments and time
extensions should be submitted in accordance with RD Instruction
1944-I, 1944.420 as early as practical. Please contact Rural
Development and Regional Technical and Management Assistance
contractor staff so that we may offer additional assistance.
-
Foreclosures on borrowers with USDA Single-Family Housing Direct
(SFHD) loans are suspended for a period of 60 days. Similarly,
evictions of persons from properties secured by SFHD loans are
also suspended for a period of 60 days.
Quick Links
Visit the USDA Disaster page on coronavirus at:
https://www.usda.gov/coronavirus
Rural Development offices at:
https://www.rd.usda.gov/browse-state
Loan servicing questions at:
https://www.rd.usda.gov/contact-us/loan-servicing
Program Information
Single-Family Housing Direct Loans
Single-Family Housing Repair Loans and Grants
Mutual Self-Help Housing Technical Assistance Grants
Signup for Single-Family Housing emails (Direct
and GRH)
GovDelivery
[USDA Rural Development] |
