Mutual Self-Help Housing

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We, the undersigned, residents, community leaders, and the general public, call upon the White House and our Congress continue funding for the Section 502 Direct Loan program and the Section 523 program entirely from the FY2012 budget. These programs, working in conjunction are the best homeownership program in Rural America.

The Mutual Self-Help Housing Program, established as a path to homeownership for very-low to low-income families, utilizes a sweat equity model. It is the only federally-funded homeownership program specifically for rural America, having been in existence for over 40 years. The program is funded by USDA Rural Development, has resulted in homeownership for more than 40,000 low-income families in rural America, stimulated local economies, provided job training, and help create a deeper sense of community.

As stated by the Office of Management and Budget, "No other program combines the unique features which make the Self-Help Program a success." For lower-income families, often with very few affordable housing options, the Self-Help housing program is the only mechanism for them to become homeowners.

Currently over 100 organizations in 37 states participate in the program. The program promotes homeownership for responsible buyers, generates millions of dollars in construction work, local business income, local wages and salaries, and local and state taxes.

Keep it going in our rural communities!

2243 Signatures

  • Jolleen Y
    • Comments
    • Programs like this are wonderful for those people who could not otherwise afford to own their own home. Please keep this program going to allow others to benefit from something that is not taking away from others. If you want to cut back somewhere, try cutting back on those people who are not out there to help themselves but are collecting state benefits and taking advantage of everything that is freely given to them.
  • Elizabeth A
    • Comments
    • Please continue funding the USDA 502 self help program and 523 Technical Assistance prgrams. Both programs have helped thousands of families to achieve their goal of having a home for their family.
  • Glenn L. G
  • LETICIA G
  • Jesus R
  • Laurel A
    • Comments
    • This Self Help program is very important not only to low income families but the communities.
  • Rebeca C
  • Lorena Z
  • Frank R. A
  • Sofia De los R
    • Comments
    • My parents end up owning their home based on this program and it help us very much to have a home even thou my parents made very little income. Keeping this program is hope for many families and children to be able to have a good life style in their own home.
  • Justin R
    • Comments
    • The USDA 502 Direct loans are the only source of home loans for most working families in high cost, rural San Juan County, Washington State. 502 and 523 programs support the incredibly cost effective and empowering USDA Self-Help program that assists low income families, by working 2000 hours in addition to regular jobs, to build a home, earn equity and become taxpayers. 502 Direct is not only cost effective; it is a LOAN that is paid back, hardly a cost at all. 523 Self-Help is a far smaller line item. It is the cost of implementing the Self-Help program and reducing home costs, in this area, by typically $100,000 per house. In terms of supporting our local economy, when Homes for Islanders (HFI) recently applied for 10 building permits in Friday Harbor, they were the first building permit applications in the Town since HFIs last building group in July, 2010. In a hard and competitive world, USDA 502 and 523 programs keep the American Dream alive with the opportunity to earn that dream.
  • Emily T
  • Jo Lynn F
    • Comments
    • This is a very worthwhile project that adds much to the local economies.
  • Jennifer T
  • Linda Booth R
    • Comments
    • Many people have acquired affordable homes with self help housing. With this economy,more people will be applying.
  • Tom T
    • Comments
    • Keep this program. It saves jobs and helps people get into good housing. I've seen it work.
  • Harold R
    • Comments
    • I'll tell you what it's like in Egypt now. I moved into this flat in Cairo, and it seemed a nice place, but the bowab, a kind of filthy Egyptian doorman/bum that lives in the lobby of the building and thinks he runs the place is making life miserable for me. Every time I come home, he looks through any bags I'm carrying and tries to put his hands in my pockets, because he says he's looking for things that are "un-Islamic". When I come home with a young lady, he leers, and makes kissing and sucking noises, and today he shot his hand quickly up my girlfriend's skirt, where I'm pretty sure he hit paydirt, because I saw him licking his fingers after we got past him. Lately, he's been setting up a charcoal brazier in the hall outside my flat, and he and his friends brew tea and play some kind of Egyptian game until all hours while he watches and sometimes listens at my door.
  • Ronald B. Z
    • Comments
    • To delete this program will not only hurt many families from geeting a home, but it will also put thousands of more persons on the unimploment roles such as self-help personnal , Contractors and construction workers.
  • Pat B
    • Comments
    • Self-Help, is the premise the US has always supported. Please don't eliminate one of the few programs that allow people to help themselves!
  • Charmagne W
    • Comments
    • A program that helps people strive to do the best they can. When you invest your time and work for a purpose it always means a lot more to you. We lov this program!
  • MARINA R
  • Angela M
  • Eric L
  • Ivon S
  • Veronica R
  • Alma L. C
  • Eileen L
  • Aglael I
    • Comments
    • This program is hope for many I dont understand why the Government wants to put this economy to the ground and take away all help for the needed.
  • Joan D
    • Comments
    • supporting self-help programs is a smart way to leverage the value and impact of federal dollars and a lot more effective than traditional federally managed programs.
  • Chris R
  • Debbie N
  • Maria E. H
  • kala r
  • keven r
  • Audrey C
  • Deanna J
  • Karli S
  • Royal W. R
  • Travis J
  • Jilliank K
  • Daniel E. B
  • Amy S
  • John S. F
    • Comments
    • This program was the only way I could ever have owned a home, and I am very grateful for the opportunity! Please refund this program so other people besides my self can have the opportunity to own a home. Sincerely,John S. Fortney
  • Elizabeth D
  • Angie B
  • Joan S
    • Comments
    • Proud particpant & homeowner thru Self-Help Housing!
  • Ann S
    • Comments
    • This program is a helping hand, NOT a hand out! We worked hard to build our home, along with seven other homes in our group. I'm proud to have been a member of this program, to cut it would deny other families the opportunity of homeownership. Taking pride in your home increases it's value and improves the value of the neighborhood.
  • daniel f
  • Alison P
  • Gary F