USDA Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities and create jobs in rural areas. Providing these affordable homeownership opportunities promotes prosperity, which in turn creates thriving communities and improves the quality of life in rural areas. USDA Rural Development’s Section 502 Direct Loan Program provides a path to homeownership for low- and very-low-income families living in rural areas. The financing for the homes is provided through USDA’s Single-Family Home Section 502 Direct Loan Program. Little Dixie Community Action Agency is based out of Hugo, OK and partners with the South Dakota USDA Rural Development and ICAP to assist with homeownership opportunities in South Dakota. Today’s announcement recognizes the largest group, consisting of ten homes, being constructed so far. ICAP is a community based non-profit organization which serves primarily low-income families and senior citizens in a 14-county area of East Central South Dakota. USDA Rural Development has partnered with ICAP’s Mutual Self-Help program and Little Dixie T&MA Contractor to construct 46 homes in the past decade. ICAP, based in Madison, SD, was awarded a Mutual Self-Help Housing Technical Assistance Grant for the construction of new homes. A public body, or nonprofit organization, coordinates the program by assisting homeowners with finding lots, developing house plans, working with contractors, coordinating materials, training participants on the skills needed to complete construction tasks, providing construction supervision and assisting families with obtaining a loan to build a self-help home. USDA Rural Development’s Mutual Self-Help Program allows families to work together in groups to build their own home. Under the leadership of President Trump and Agriculture Secretary Perdue, USDA continues to be a strong partner with rural communities, because we know that when rural America thrives, all of America thrives.” “Through the partnership with ICAP and Little Dixie T&MA Contractor, several homeowners have been able to realize the dream of homeownership with the assistance of USDA’s Mutual Self-Help and Section 502-Direct Single Family Housing programs. “USDA is committed to assisting rural South Dakotans gain stability and independence by building or purchasing a home,” said Gross. Representative Dusty Johnson, ICAP and homeowners at a groundbreaking event to celebrate their accomplishments in expanding home ownership opportunities through USDA’s Mutual Self-Help Housing and Section 502 Direct Loan Programs on Wednesday, Septemat a new housing development in Brookings, SD. USDA Rural Development State Director Julie Gross and staff joined U.S. 3, 2020 – The Trump Administration announced that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), in partnership with Inter-Lakes Community Action Partnership (ICAP) and Little Dixie Community Action Agency’s Technical and Management Assistance (T&MA) Contractor, is investing more than $1.9 million to assist homebuyers to build and purchase their homes.