As the distinctions between rural and urban life have blurred, esp. with the develop. of suburbs, some have questioned the need for the separate rural housing (RH) programs that were first created in the mid-1930s to stimulate the rural economy and assist needy rural families. This report describes: the condition of today's RH and rural households' access to affordable housing credit; the RH prog. offered by the USDA RH Service (RHS), and the ways in which RHS' programs have adapted to changes in the level of Fed. housing assist.; any overlap between RHS' prog. and the prog. of HUD and other Fed., state, and private org.; and options for maximizing the efficiency and effectiveness of the Fed. role in RH. Illustrated.

Housing is crucial to the quality of life and wellbeing for individuals and familes, but the availability of adequate or affordable housing also plays a vital role in community economic development. Rural areas face a substantial disadvantage compared to urban areas in regard to housing, and this book explores these issues. Rural Housing and Economic Development includes chapters from nationally known experts from throughout the U.S. to provide insight to help understand and address the difficult housing concerns within rural areas. The chapters cover a variety of issues including housing for rural minorities, the extent of and problems associated with mobile home dwelling, the extent to which affordable rental housing is available in rural areas, the rapidly growing elderly population, and the housing consequences of rapid population and economic growth associated with energy development. The authors not only describe various housing problems, but also suggest policy approaches to more effectively address them. This book will be a vital resource to policy makers at the local, state or national level as they grapple with difficult rural housing problems. Researchers and professionals dealing with housing issues will also benefit from the insights of these experts while the book will also be appropriate for upper level undergraduates or graduate students in courses on housing or economic development.