Welcome to the quarterly newsletter of USDA Rural Development in Oregon. Here, you will find updates on funding opportunities and program activities through our Business, Cooperative, Community Facility, Multi-Family and Single-Family Housing programs.
USDA
Rural Development had another busy year during federal fiscal year 2015, which
ended on September 30th, as we invested in strategic projects across rural
Oregon. A detailed report including all of our loan and grant
programs will be made available soon. In the meantime, here are some of
the highlights:
As
we celebrate National
Native American Heritage Month this November and recognize the innovation
and achievements being made throughout Indian Country, Rural Development and
the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation have come together to
create a video
telling the story of the community’s efforts to achieve high-quality education
that respects the Tribe’s cultures and traditions and prepares students to be
future leaders. Click
here to watch the video…
|
Rural
Development is happy to welcome J.
Wesley (Wes) Cochran as our new Multi-Family Housing Program Director in
Oregon. Wes comes to Oregon from the Rural Development office in Mt. Vernon,
Washington, where he worked as a Multi-Family Housing Specialist. He has been
with the agency for eight years, and in that time, he has also worked as a loan
specialist in our Business and Cooperative Programs and our Community
Programs.
Prior
to joining Rural Development, Wes worked for the Small Business Administration’s
Office of Disaster Assistance. Wes also gained 30 years of experience in
banking prior to the start of his Federal service, including five years with
the Bank of Hawaii and serving as an Executive Vice President with a community
bank in his hometown of Everett, Washington.
|
On October 27th, Rural Development
joined its partners to break ground on Heritage Heights, a new farmworker
housing apartment complex in The Dalles. With assistance from a Rural Development
loan of $1.5 million and a grant of $1.5 million provided through the Farm Labor Housing Program, the nonprofit Columbia Cascade Housing
Corporation and consultant CASA of Oregon will construct an apartment complex
that can accommodate 24 farmworker families. In addition, Rural Development
will provide rental assistance to 23 families when they move into the new
apartments, ensuring their rent payments do not exceed 30 percent of their
income. Click here to read more…
Rural Development recently awarded $47 million in
loans for two electric infrastructure projects in rural Oregon. The Umatilla
Electric Cooperative in northeast Oregon is receiving $43 million to install
112 miles of transmission lines to improve services for its approximately
10,000 members. West Oregon
Electric Cooperative in Columbia County is
receiving a $4 million loan to replace and
upgrade overhead and underground distribution lines
originally installed in the 1970s and 1980s in order to improve access to
electric power for local residents.
These awards are part of a nationwide
announcement of $2.3 billion in loans to help 77 utilities and cooperatives
build and improve rural electric infrastructure across rural America. Click here to read more…
USDA Rural Development invested more than $1.3 million in 59 renewable energy and energy efficiency projects in rural Oregon during federal fiscal year 2015. The funding was provided through USDA’s Rural Energy for America Program (REAP).
“These investments are helping farmers, ranchers, and rural small business owners lower their energy costs and improve their bottom line while reducing their carbon footprint,” said State Director Vicki Walker.
Nationwide, USDA invested $242.7 million in nearly 2,000 renewable energy and energy efficiency projects.
Applications are now being accepted for fiscal year 2016 funding through REAP. For application deadlines and details on how to apply, contact John Holman, Oregon Energy Coordinator, at (503) 414-3369 or john.holman@or.usda.gov and see page 60349 of the October 6 Federal Register.
|
Rural Development is pleased to welcome the following new staff member to our team here in Oregon. For a complete directory for Oregon Rural Development, click
here.
Nathan (Nate) Brown is a new Single
Family Housing Specialist in our Tangent office. He has a Bachelor of Science
degree in computer information systems and a MBA from the University of
Nevada. After graduating, he went into banking, where he spent five years
as a loan officer and branch manager. Nate can be reached directly at nathan.brown2@or.usda.gov or (541)
967-5925, extension 133.
|
Barbara Brunson is another new
Single Family Housing Specialist in our Tangent office. She has worked in the
mortgage industry for over 20 years in various roles, including as a loan
underwriter, loan processor, and quality control underwriter. She has also
worked in secondary marketing selling closed loans to investors. Most
recently, she worked for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) for
five years. Barbara can be reached at barbara.brunson@or.usda.gov or
(541) 967-5925, extension 113.
|
Jean Valdez is a new
Single Family Housing Specialist in our Redmond office. Jean served in the U.S.
Navy for almost eight years. After his tour of duty, he got involved in the
brokering and banking side of the mortgage industry. Jean has a Bachelor of
Science degree in economics from Liberty University, and he is just a few
courses shy of his MBA. Jean can be reached at jean.valdez@or.usda.gov or (541)
923-4358, extension 134.
|
Isaac Bright is a new Single
Family Housing Technician in our Roseburg office, and he is also serving as our
Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnership Coordinator. Isaac comes to Rural
Development with a background in lending, community outreach, and
insurance. He has a Master’s degree from Western Oregon University in
teaching and health education, and he received his Bachelor of Arts degree from
the University of Redlands. Isaac can be reached at isaac.bright@or.usda.gov or (541)
673-0136, extension 113.
|
Eben
Fisher is the new Secretary to the State Director in our
Portland office. Prior to joining Rural Development, he served five years
in the U.S. Marine Corps as a Sergeant in the infantry. He was deployed to Afghanistan
in 2011, and then to the South Pacific. He is originally from Eugene, and is happy
to be living in Oregon again. You can reach him at eben.fisher@or.usda.gov or (503)
414-3304.
|
Rural Development recently awarded $15.6 million in loans and grants to upgrade wastewater systems in rural Oregon. “These investments are critical to help rural communities maintain and upgrade their infrastructure while protecting the natural resources valued by their residents and visitors alike,” said State Director Vicki Walker.
The City of Prineville in central Oregon is receiving a $4 million loan and a $1 million grant to make major improvements to its wastewater treatment system. This $8.9 million project will upgrade the existing system and create a wetland area for the disposal of treated wastewater to help protect local water quality.
In northwest Oregon, Pacific City was awarded an $8.7 million loan and a $1.9 million grant to upgrade its aging wastewater treatment plant. This project will expand the system’s capacity, setting the foundation for future growth and increased seasonal tourism while protecting local water quality. Click here to read more…
The Rural Development loan and grant funds were provided through the Water and Waste Disposal Program. Interest rates are now as low as 3.25% to 2.00%, depending on the median household income for the service area. If you would like to start planning your rural community’s wastewater system project, contact one of our Community Programs Specialists today to find out what financial assistance Rural Development can provide.
|
Farming is a tough job, but at the heart of it all, there’s a
vibrant community contributing to the future of our nation’s health and food
security. Now USDA has a new tool to help you find the resources you need to
get started or to build up your farming operations: www.usda.gov/newfarmers.
The site features tips for farmers on getting started and
opportunities just for you. You can browse the site or use our Discovery Tool to tailor your experience by answering a few questions in
order to get back personalized resources to meet your needs.
|
Rural Development awarded nonprofit The Next
Door a $30,000 Rural Business Enterprise Grant in 2012 to develop a farm incubator with agricultural and business
training to help low-income Latino families in Hood River supplement their incomes. Many work
in local farm fields, orchards, and food processing facilities. Despite their
hard work and vital contributions to the local economy, they are often
underemployed and struggle to make ends meet.
Through the Raices program operated by The Next Door, two dozen families grew pesticide-free
fruits and vegetables this year, improving access to healthy foods while
lowering grocery costs. Eight families also sold produce at area farmers’
markets. The smaller producers earn about $50 per week. The most active
producer earns a couple thousand each season, which paid for the family’s first
computer and needed home repairs.
The program’s benefits, however, don’t stop at the dinner
table or the pocketbook. Selling at the market builds the confidence of
immigrants who may have limited English or little interaction with the larger
population. From the start, it has also served as a leadership program. These
emerging local leaders are cultivating opportunity, capacity, and networks to
enhance community vitality. Click
here to read more…
|
Through the Community Facilities Direct Loan Program, Rural Development has helped rural communities across the state finance new facilities and equipment or improvements to schools, fire stations, city halls, police vehicles, hospitals, and much more. Rural Development funds can be used to purchase, construct, or improve essential community facilities, purchase equipment, and pay related project expenses. Eligible applicants include public bodies, community-based nonprofits, and Federally-recognized tribes. Applications are accepted year round, and interest rates are now just 3.25%. Those rates are set quarterly and are fixed for the life of the loan. To start planning your next community facility project, contact one of our Community Program Specialists to learn more about the financial tools available to assist you.
|
Rural Development is helping to feed the hungry
and reduce poverty on the southern Oregon coast with grant funding provided
through the Community Facilities Program. The grants are helping two nonprofits protect perishable
food supplies and ensure reliable, uninterrupted emergency food services in
rural areas.
Oregon Coast Community Action (ORCCA) operates the South
Coast Food Share, a regional distributor for the Oregon Food Bank serving Coos
and Curry counties, as well as parts of Douglas County. ORCCA received a $41,000
grant to purchase a refrigerated food truck to enable the nonprofit to
distribute perishable foods to their partner food banks and meal sites.
Florence Food Share, an emergency food box pantry,
distributes approximately 50,000 pounds of food each month, serving a 270-mile
area in western Lane County. The nonprofit received a $12,200 grant from USDA
for the purchase of a generator to provide electricity during power outages.
The new generator will maintain power and safe food storage in the event of an
emergency. Click
here to read more…
While
many of USDA’s programs are helping to address issues of poverty and food
insecurity, Rural Development employees have also been helping to feed the
hungry. In Oregon, employees across the state donated more than 1,500 pounds of
food this summer as part of the nationwide Feds Feed Families food drive.
Feds
Feed Families began in 2009 as an effort to raise
food for Americans struggling with hunger by helping food banks and pantries
remain stocked during the summer, a time when they traditionally encounter a
decrease in donations while the need for assistance increases.
Through
the donations made by Rural Development employees in Oregon, more than 1,300
families received a meal this summer.
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack honored USDA employees from across the nation for their exceptional leadership and accomplishments on November 5th at the Abraham Lincoln Honor Award Ceremony in Washington, D.C. Included among the employees being recognized was one member of the Oregon Rural Development team. Monty Shuster, Contracts Program Manager, received the award for his contributions to a national team that exhibited excellence in strategic development and management of USDA’s $450 million leasing portfolio.
|