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Rural Health Information Hub
Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
News by Topic: Housing and homelessness

Jun 8, 2026 - Describes a rural hospital program aiming to improve workforce recruitment by increasing the community's affordable housing supply. Discusses program funding and community demographic shifts.
Source: South Dakota News Watch
Jun 3, 2026 - Highlights a new Census Bureau tool showing the distribution of homes with air conditioning at the state, county, and census tract levels. The tool can be used to identify communities at highest risk of heat exposure. Includes a national county-level map indicating households without air conditioning.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Jun 3, 2026 - U.S. Department of Agriculture funds have been awarded for the Single Family Housing Direct Home Loans program to a South Dakota home loan lender. The funding will provide capital for home loans in a tribal community.
Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development
Apr 20, 2026 - Notice of final rule from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Housing Service (RHS) changes related to insurance requirements under the Multi-Family Housing (MFH) Direct Loan and Grant programs. This final rule will align USDA Rural Development insurance coverage types, amounts, and deductibles with affordable housing industry standards to simplify the coverage amounts and deductible limits, and improve customer experience with updated and understandable insurance requirements. This rule is effective May 20, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Apr 13, 2026 - Notice of final rule from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Housing Service (RHS) amending its regulations to implement changes related to income calculation and net family assets for properties that receive funding from the Multi-Family Housing (MFH) Section 515 Rural Rental Housing and the Section 514/516 Farm Labor Housing Direct Loan and Grant programs. This rule is effective April 13, 2026.
Source: Federal Register