**FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FOR INFORMATION CONTACT:**

Tammi Schone - (605) 352-1102

# FUTURE LOOKS BRIGHT FOR LAWRENCE FAMILY [*USDA Rural Development Homeownership Program Provides Assistance* ]{.underline}

**(Eagle Butte, South Dakota -- February 8, 2008)** Jo L. Lawrence and
her family have been living in a mobile home for the past eight years.
Every time an opportunity would present itself to get ahead, something
else would go terribly wrong with the mobile home structure including
freezing pipes, deteriorating doors and windows, substandard flooring in
the bathroom due to mold, and the list of needed repairs goes on and on.

One day, Jo came across a flyer that was being distributed by the
Cheyenne River Housing Authority (CRHA) relating to home loans being
offered through USDA Rural Development. Jo contacted Kimberly Claymore,
Homebuyer Counselor at CRHA. Kimberly walked her through the process of
what she needed to do in order to apply. USDA Rural Development approved
the loan under the single family 502 Direct Loan program. The
application for assistance is a cooperative effort to provide
homeownership for a family through assistance from the USDA Rural
Development 502 Direct Loan program, Cheyenne River Housing Authority's
Down Payment Assistance Program and South Dakota Housing Development
Authority ADDI assistance for down payment and closing costs.

Kimberly showed Jo which homes were available for purchase in the Fox
Ridge II Development site located in Eagle Butte and Jo selected the one
she liked best. After supporting documentation and permission was
received from the Tribal Council, the lot was assigned to Jo and her
family.

Fox Ridge II is the second phase of the Fox Ridge development project.
"This home is perfect for us," exclaimed Jo L. Lawrence. "It will
provide each of the children with their own bedrooms, is much roomier,
and we won't have to worry about immediate repairs."

The Lawrence family moved into their new home on January 31, 2008. Fox
Ridge II is a development built by the Cheyenne River Housing Authority.
The houses in Fox Ridge II all have four bedrooms and two bathrooms with
a total square footage of 1,512. All the houses are to be sold to people
who will actually live in the homes, not as rental properties. "This
house means everything to me -- a better life, a better future,
increased stability for the children, and holds the prospect of a much
brighter future for all of us," said Jo L. Lawrence. "I know my attitude
has improved 100% and I can hardly wait to move in. I want to thank
Rural Development and CRHA for their patience and encouragement."

\- Continued -

USDA Rural Development's 502 Direct Loan Program is an assistance
program offered to low-income families meeting income eligibility
requirements.

Please contact the Pierre Rural Development Office at (605) 224-8870,
Ext. 4 for additional information on Rural Development programs. The
office is located at 1717 N. Lincoln, Suite 102, Pierre, South Dakota or
contact Kimberly Claymore at 605-964-4265 for information on Rural
Development programs, other loan programs, and Down Payment Assistance
or to pick up an application.

In South Dakota, Rural Development provides valuable loan and grant
programs and technical assistance to finance and foster growth in
homeownership, business development, and critical community and
technology infrastructure. Rural Development invested more than \$259
million in fiscal year 2007 and \$1.9 billion over the past 10 years in
South Dakota's economy.

USDA Rural Development's mission is to increase economic opportunity and
improve the quality of life for rural residents. Rural Development has
invested more than \$76.8 billion since 2001 for equity and technical
assistance to finance and foster growth in homeownership, business
development, and critical community and technology infrastructure. More
than 1.5 million jobs have been created or saved through these
investments. Further information on rural programs is available at a
local USDA Rural Development office or by visiting USDA's web site at
[[http://www.rurdev.usda.gov]{.underline}](http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/).

**- USDA -**