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RCAC Network News August 2012
Volume XXX, Number 4
In this issue:
Lower Rio Grande Mutual Domestic Water Association board of directors receives RCAC volunteer award
Five water systems that serve eight southern New Mexico colonias—unincorporated rural towns along the US-Mexico border — struggle with drinking water quality and access, wastewater disposal, dirt roads with no street lights, access to medical services, and substandard housing conditions. Through a regionalization effort, the communities have joined forces to form the Lower Rio Grande Public Water Works Authority (LRGPWWA). Regionalization ensures safe and reliable water services, creates local jobs through infrastructure expansion, and attracts new housing development and commercial growth. RCAC is recognizing the original six-member board of directors’ contribution to their community with the 2012 Yoneo Ono Award. Read more >>
Housing
Families share experiences for self-help video
RCAC multimedia specialist, Jeremy Raff, is on assignment creating a video that focuses on the families participating in the U.S. Department of Agriculture – Rural Development funded Mutual Self-Help Housing Program. In Kalispell, Montana; Ephraim and Provo, Utah; Alamosa, Colorado and Somerton, Arizona, Raff met with families who built or are building their own homes. To get more highlights from Raff's travels >>
Changing rural definition threatens loss of millions of dollars of federal housing assistance in California
By Rob Weiner, California Institute for Rural Studies – Rural California Blog
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), nearly 100 California communities – and more than 900 communities across the nation – will lose their eligibility for USDA rural housing programs on October 1, 2012. Read more >>
Editor's note: Congressman Fortenberry is circulating a Dear Colleague letter to the House Leadership, requesting that they accept a bipartisan amendment to the upcoming Continuing Resolution on this issue. The challenge is to show the Leadership that this is a consensus policy position without controversy. To do this, we need as many members of the House as we can get to sign the letter. Rep. Fortenberry will keep the letter open until August 31, so the faster we can secure co-signers the better. Please call your Representatives and ask them to cosign Rep. Fortenberry's letter! Not sure who to call? Check out our list of Congressional targets!
County's growth could limit self-help housing program
By Chris Henry, Kitsap Sun
CENTRAL KITSAP — Since 1973, Housing Kitsap has helped 1,400 low-income Kitsap County families become homeowners through a combination of low-interest loans and "sweat equity." Read how changes to the rural definition will adversely affect future affordable housing development in this area >>
2012 Affordable Housing in High Cost Areas conference
In spite of the decline in housing prices in many areas of the country, affordable housing options remain out of reach for many working families – especially in high cost areas. Read more >>
Developments that go above and beyond
The Community Resources and Housing Development Corporation’s (CRHDC) Alta Vista de la Montaña apartment complex in Delta, Colorado made it to the top 34 finalists in the Affordable Housing Finance 2012 Readers’ Choice Awards. The Alta Vista apartments are for low-income farm workers and their families. RCAC provided construction financing. There were 140 nominees submitted under nine categories. Winners will be selected in September. For highlights of all the 34 finalists >>
Loan Fund
RCAC receives $1.45M CDFI award and closes its third quarter on a high note
RCAC received more than $1.45 million as part of the U.S. Department of the Treasury Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund awards, and closed 14 loans during its third quarter. Read more >>
Last piece of funding for harbor
Loan means tsunami repairs can proceed
By Adam Spencer, The Triplicate
The Crescent City Harbor District’s tsunami-related cash concerns have been relieved thanks to approval of a $5.4 million loan from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
“It’s been the number one worry for us; we need to have enough money to finish this project and now we do,” said Harbormaster Richard Young. Read more for additional funding acquired and plans for rehabilitation >>
Environmental
MENIFEE: ‘Disadvantaged’ Quail Valley could get sewer grants
By Peter Surowski, The Press-Enterprise
Reprinted with permission
The Quail Valley area is economically “disadvantaged,” water officials say, and if they can convince state agencies of this, they might get some grants to build a sewer system.
The Rural Community Assistance Corporation, on behalf of the Eastern Municipal Water District, sent more than 1,000 questionnaires to Menifee residents in the Quail Valley area this week to measure their income. Read why an income survey is needed to provide this community with a sewer system residents can afford >>
Dan Morain: Who carries their water?
By Dan Morain,
The Sacramento Bee
In the village of Easton, where summer temperatures regularly reach beyond 100 degrees, some lawns are unusually green for this time of year, and people think twice before drinking from the tap. Read why these Californians are being denied the basic human right of safe, clean and affordable water >>
Desert solitaire: Las Vegas bets big on rural water
By Heather Hansen, High Country News – The Range Blog
A water mining project that’s been a quarter-century in the making took a major step forward last week, when the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) recommended approval of a plan for diverting groundwater from three counties in eastern Nevada to Sin City. Read more >>
Rural Initiatives
RCAC receives $200,000 grant for rural community development
Agriculture Secretary Vilsack announced that RCAC will receive $200,000 through USDA’s Rural Community Development Initiative Program (RCDI). RCAC will use the grant to work with rural and tribal communities in four states: Big Sandy Rancheria, California; Mora, New Mexico; Enterprise, Oregon; and Green River, Utah. RCAC will work with the communities to develop a wide range of community development projects. Read more>>
Eye on policy
Time running out for farm bill, amid record drought, uncertainty
By Chris Kick, Farm and Dairy
The U.S. Senate approved a bipartisan five-year farm bill June 21, and the House Committee on Agriculture passed its version of the bill July 12 with a vote of 35 in favor and 11 opposed.
But the bill has yet to be taken up by the full House, which is now on recess until Sept. 10. The House would have about 20 days to pass the bill if it plans to approve something before the current bill expires. Read more >>