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Just Released: ResearchWorks Volume 1, Number 8

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The Office of Policy Development and Research (PD&R) is
pleased to announce the release of the eighth issue of
ResearchWorks. The theme for this issue is affordable
housing in rural and nonmetro areas. Four articles
present interesting discussion on topics such as the
workforce housing challenge in resort communities, HUD
programs targeted to rural and nonmetro areas, and unique
housing challenges in rural neighborhoods, such as
adequate sanitation and the availability of financing.

The lead article, Service Delivery to Rural and Nonmetro
Areas: A Look at Some HUD Programs and the Constituents
They Serve, reviews the programs that HUD uses to carry
out our work in rural and nonmetro areas. Some of the
more prominent among these are: the Rural Housing and
Economic Development Program; the State Community
Development Block Grant (State CDBG) Program; the HOME
Investment Partnerships (HOME) Program; and the Native
American Housing Block Grant (NAHBG).

Rural Housing: Unique Challenges in Availability,
Affordability, Sanitation, and Financing presents an
overview of these topics as they apply to rural and
nonmetro housing. The article discusses why these issues
are more challenging and harder to overcome in rural and
nonmetro areas and what is being done to help homeowners
and renters in rural America. For example, approximately
12 percent of nonmetro renters live in either moderately
or severely inadequate housing, compared to six percent
of nonmetro owners. The 2000 U.S. Census reveals that
more than 670,000 households (or 1.95 million people)
lack access to water and/or sanitation. In the financing
arena, the data points to a severe shortage of housing
credit in rural America, and indicates that subprime
lenders are increasingly active in these areas.

Mississippi is home to 82 counties, of which 60 percent
are defined as rural and where over 18 percent of the
population lives below the poverty level. In Creative
Vision Earns Funds for Rural Mississippi, HUD's Jackson
Field Office showcases one grantee's success with HUD's
Rural Housing and Economic Development (RHED) Program,
which is sponsored by HUD's Office of Community Planning
and Development.

The final article, Workforce Housing in Resort Areas,
presents an interesting discussion on the challenges of
finding affordable housing in expensive resort towns.
This can be a particular concern for service employees
and teachers looking for affordable housing where they
work, but it can also influence the viability and success
of the community as a whole. The article profiles several
of Colorado's mountain resort communities, which are
leading the way with some workable solutions that other
communities may choose to pursue.

ResearchWorks is sponsored by HUD's office of PD&R. This
free newsletter brings housing policy research together
with the latest news from the field.

ResearchWorks is available as a free download from HUD
USER at
https://archives.huduser.gov/periodicals/ResearchWorks/ResearchWorks.html
or in single-issue printed form by calling 1-800-245-
2691. Free subscriptions are available on the HUD USER
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