U.S. lawmakers from the House and Senate have agreed on a compromise version of H.R. 2997, which provides funding levels for rural housing programs through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for fiscal year 2010.  With a few exceptions, the bill would continue most rural housing programs at the levels provided in FY 2009 appropriations legislation, not accounting for the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).  H.R. 2997 would effectively double the Section 502 guaranteed loan program from $6.2 billion in 2009 to $12 billion in 2010, and provide funding increases for the Section 514 and 516 farm labor housing programs, Section 523 self-help housing, Section 521 rental assistance, and the multifamily housing preservation program.  FY 2009 and proposed FY 2010 funding levels are provided in the table below.

USDA Rural Development Program
(dollars in million)

FY 2009
Approp.

FY 2010
Admin. Budget

FY 2010
House Cmte.
H.R. 2997

FY 2010
Sen. Cmte.
S. 1406

Conference Report H.R. 2997

502 Single Family Direct

$1,121.5

$1,121

$1,121

$1,227

$1,121

502 Single Family Guar.

6,223.9

6,200

6,204

12,000

12,000

504 Very Low-inc. Repair

34.4

34.4

34.4

34.4

34.4

514 Farm Labor Hsg.

20

22

30.5

21.6

27.3

515 Rental Hsg. Direct

69.5

69.5

80

69.5

69.5

538 Rental Hsg. Guar.

129.1

129.1

129.1

129.1

129.1

Rental Prsrv. Revlg. Loans

2.9

1.8

1.8

1.8

1.8

504 Very Low-inc. Repair

29.7

31.6

31.6

31.6

31.6

516 Farm Labor Hsg.

9.1

9

11.5

9.1

9.9

523 Self-Help TA

>38.7

38.7

45

38.7

41.9

533 Hsg. Prsrv. Grants

8.9

9.4

9.4

9.4

9.4

521 Rental Assistance  (1-yr. contracts)

902.5

1,091

>980

980

980

Preservation RA

(6)

(6)

(6)

(6)

(6)

New Construction 515 RA

(2.03)

(2.03)

(2.03)

(2.03)

(2.03)

New Construction 514/516 RA

(3.4)

(3.4)

(3.4)

(3.4)

(3.4)

542 Rural Hsg. Vouchers

5

5

5

18

16.4

Rental Prsrv. Demo. (MPR)

20

19.8

25

19.9

25

Rural Cmnty. Dev’t Init.

6.3

6.3

6.3

6.3

6.3

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