A crane lifts a portion of a Habitat for Humanity modular home into place. This year, local Habitat staff and volunteers will be joined by U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development staff for Crane Day.
The day will mark the placement of the final four modular homes in Habitat for Humanity of Archuleta County’s “15 Homes in 5 Years” campaign.
“Crane Day is an exciting annual event, really kicking off the volunteer opportunities on our job site throughout the rest of the summer and fall,” said Leah Ballard, executive director of Habitat for Humanity of Archuleta County. “USDA’s Direct Loan program has been paramount for the Habitat program locally, enabling us to leverage hundreds of thousands of dollars in forgivable down-payment assistance for the families who partner with us to build. These homes are deed-restricted to remain in the community’s affordable inventory for 30 years.”
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development staff members Victoria Martinez, single-family housing loan specialist, and Tineel Baroz, single-family housing program director, will visit Pagosa Springs during the last week of June to participate in Crane Day, a major construction milestone for Habitat for Humanity of Archuleta County.
The event will mark the placement of the final four modular homes in Habitat Archuleta’s “15 Homes in 5 Years” campaign.
By the end of this five-year effort, Habitat Archuleta will not only have tripled its historical building capacity, but further expanded its impact in Archuleta County through the USDA Direct Loan Program.
As a certified packaging body, the organization will have helped 22 local families become homeowners in Archuleta County — 16 families already served and six more loan applications underway this year.
Habitat Archuleta also provides direct loan packaging support to neighboring rural Habitat affiliates, contributing to affordable home ownership opportunities for 12 more families across rural Colorado, for a grand total of 34 direct loans during the five-year campaign.
As a direct loan packaging partner, Habitat Archuleta works closely with USDA Rural Development to help families navigate the mortgage process and secure affordable financing for safe, decent homes.
Colorado USDA Rural Development State Director Sallie Clark announced June as National Home- ownership Month, highlighting the commitment to affordable housing access and helping more Americans, especially first-time homebuyers, achieve the dream of home ownership. The USDA’s partnership with
Habitat Archuleta is an excellent example of expanding opportunities for affordable housing.
More information about USDA Rural Development housing programs is available at www.rd.usda.gov/co. Details about Habitat for Humanity of Archuleta County can be found at www.habitatarchuleta.org.