The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development’s mission area invested $622 million in rural Iowa in 2016, providing housing opportunities to thousands while supporting job creation and community improvement. Over $214 million was invested in guaranteed and direct mortgage loans, $18 million in rental assistance and $1 million in loans and grants for home repairs. They also assisted Iowa businesses with more than $46 million in loan guarantees to lenders and $7 million in rural economic development loans and grants. The initiative also funded rural infrastructure, supplying $116 million to help improve community facilities and educational opportunities, $80 million to rural electric cooperatives, $69 million for healthcare improvement projects and $51 million in assistance for improvement of water and wastewater systems.
