Tuesday, May 1 2012 3:54PM

Together, Color Country Community Housing and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development are offering families living in Enoch, Utah, the opportunity to receive affordable housing in exchange for providing labor for the construction of homes in the area through the USDA's Mutual Self-Help Housing program.

The program is credited with not only building homes but building neighborhoods and civic engagement in rural communities. The special projects manager of Color Country Community Housing told The Spectrum that the organization plans to help build nine homes for families with lower incomes. The source notes that most Enoch residents fall in the median- to low-income range.

While qualifying families must have a good credit score and stable source of income, they aren't required to make a down payment as long as they contribute to the construction of their homes. The government mortgages are offered at low interest rates for 33 years.

Participating in the construction of the homes earns the families a down payment but also a substantial personal investment in their homes. Data from the Rural Housing Coalitions shows that this investment makes self-help  owners more financially responsible for their mortgages compared to those who buy homes on their own. The standard default rate is 2.24 percent, while it is less than 1 percent for Self-Help loans.

For further information, check out this source: The Spectrum