Leveraging of federal, 

 state and local dollars 

 allowed for a greater number 

 of rural Nebraskans to be 

 served. 

 2007 

ANNUAL REPORT 

“Family life on the farm largely depends on the schools, hospitals, businesses and other services in town. That's why our rural development mission is so important. In 2007 alone, USDA Rural Development invested nearly $14 billion in rural communities, including water systems, health care, education, small businesses and home ownership.” -- Chuck Conner, Acting Secretary of Agriculture 

“Rural Development is essentially an investment bank for rural America with a portfolio of more than $97 billion. This is invested in rural infrastructure, housing, community facilities, business, and energy development. We are the only agency in the federal government that can build an entire community from the ground up.” —Thomas C. Dorr, Under Secretary,  USDA Rural Development 

“USDA Rural Development is a leading advocate for rural Nebraska. We offer an array of programs that bring a greater quality of life to rural areas. These benefits are multiplied when Rural Development resources are leveraged with those of our many partners. It is our desire to become a household name as the “lender of first opportunity” and an asset in the financial toolbox of each rural 

community. USDA Rural Development is ‘Committed to the future of rural communities’ and we stand ready to assist.” 

—Scot Blehm, Nebraska State Director, 

 USDA Rural Development 

MESSAGES FROM MESSAGES FROM MESSAGES FROM USDA LEADERS ... USDA LEADERS ... USDA LEADERS ...

CONTACT YOUR LOCAL NEBRASKA USDA RURAL DEVELOPME

Nebraska State Office Lincoln, Neb. 402-437

Ainsworth Office 402-387

Kearney Office 308-237

Lincoln Office 402-423

Norfolk Office 402-371

North Platte Office 308-534

Scottsbluff Office 308-632

Rural Telecommunications Programs 402-543

Rural Electric Programs 515-332

‘Committed to the future of rural communities’ 
DIRECT HOME OWNERSHIP LOANS assist very-low and low-income rural 

residents to purchase, construct, repair, rehabilitate or relocate a single family home. GUARANTEED HOME OWNERSHIP LOANS help moderate 

to low-income residents purchase/repair or construct a single family rural dwelling via loans originated by local approved lenders and guaranteed by the federal government. RURAL HOME REPAIR LOANS AND GRANTS AND HOUSING 

PRESERVATION GRANTS make needed repairs to rural owner-occupied homes of very-low income homeowners. RURAL RENTAL HOUSING PROGRAMS offer funding to applicants and entities to build economical rural rental housing & for repairs/rehab to such existing rural rental housing. RURAL RENTAL ASSISTANCE provides 

subsidies to very-low and low income individual residents of these housing complexes for affordable rent payments. RURAL RENTAL HOUSING VOUCHER DEMONSTRATION offers short-term supplement 

vouchers to eligible tenants of such rural rental complexes who face economic hardship from rent increases resultant of prepayment of the rental housing loan.

$109.7M TO RURAL NEBRASKA COMMUNITY FACILITIES DIRECT AND GUARANTEED LOANS, AND 

construct, enlarge, extend or improve community facilities that pessential services and purchase needed equipment in rural area

RURAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE GRANTS provide assistance & training to recipients, expanding ability to start rura

community facilities, economic and community development pro

WATER AND ENVIRONMENTAL LOANS AND GRANTS develop and rural water and sanitary sewer systems, including solid waste disstorm drainage. DISTANCE LEARNING AND TELEMEDICINE GRANTS allow for fac

equipment to provide rural schools, libraries, medical clinics and with distance learning and/or telemedicine capabilities. NATIONAL OCEANIC & ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION (NOAA) WRADIO GRANTS provide radio transmitters, increasing NOAA's allweather radio broadcast system coverage in rural areas. TELECOMMUNICATIONS INFRASTRUCTURE LOANS finance voice service. 

$39.9M-536 HOUSEHOLDS BECAME HOMEOWNERS 

$681K-126 HOMES REPAIRED 

$14.8M-ASSISTED WITH 13 WATER AND 5 SEWER PROJ

$1.2M-EQUIPMENT & TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES FOR 

2 MEDICAL NETWORKS & 2 EDUCATIONAL SERVICE UN

$60K-DUAL TRANSMITTER & ANTENNA SERVING 500 RURAL R

$2.4M-BUILD 10 UNIT GROUP HOME, REPAIRED 3 & UPDATED 

5 COMPLEXES, ASSISTED 2 COMPLEXES TO REMAIN IN THE PROGRAM; 

$7.2M-3,864 TENANTS HELPED THROUGH AFFORDABLE RENTS 

$1.8M-FIBER FOR IMPROVED DATA, VOICE & VIDEO SERV

VILLAGE OF BELVIDERE encountered 

a water main break cutting half the town 

off the main water supply. The $32.6K 

project wasn’t enough to issue a bond 

but too big to make up from reserves. 

Rural Development assisted in a short 

timeframe with an Emergency 

Community Water Assistance Grant 

bringing full water capacity back to the 

residents by the dog days of summer. 

Julia Ellis and 6 yr. old daughter Rianda moved to Scottsbluff to be closer to family. Julia longed for a place to put down roots. As a single mother, she didn’t think it was possible to buy a home. An USDA Rural Development loan partnered with a Western Nebraska Housing Opportunities loan for down payment assistance along with a repair grant made homeownership possible for Julia. 

A housing study concluded the need for 26 additional units of elderly housing in Beatrice. Rising to meet the need was USDA Rural Development with a $455K loan leveraged with $362K in Nebraska Affordable Housing Trust Funds (NAHTF) administered by the Nebraska Department of Economic Development and $144K from Thayer County Bank of Hebron who also assisted with interim financing. This partnering effort built Prairie Heights, an 11-unit complex of affordable one-bedroom apartment housing for elderly and handicapped residents. Prairie Heights is owned by Beatrice Housing Agency and managed by Crown Pointe Management. 

$300K-FINANCIAL & TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TOOLS TO 4 COM

$32M-FUNDED 21 ESSENTIAL COMMUNITY FACILITIE

COMING TO CHADRON: replacement Critical Acc& physicians’ clinic. FunDevelopment Direct $8.Guaranteed $8.9M loan

$3.7M Rural Development Guaranteed loan built South Sioux City YMCA (right). 

VILLAGE OF ELBA in 200

leaking water mains, built a 

& well to replace an aging 

nitrate well & added servic

2005 more leaking mains 

the well field site proved fut

Rural Development loan j

$250K CDBG & $20K from 

for a new well site set the 

on track. Bidding is expecte

H O U S I N G H O U S I N G H O U S I N G 

C O M M U N I T Y F A C I L I T I E S & U T I L I T I E 

C O M M U N I T Y F A C I L I T I E S & U T I L I T I E 

C O M M U N I T Y F A C I L I T I E S & U T I L I T I E