Representatives of USDA Rural Development will be holding a Rural Development Office Day for San Saba County on Tuesday, April 27, 2010, from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. The event will be held on the 2nd Floor of the San Saba County Courthouse, located at 500 E. Wallace St., San Saba, Texas. Information will be provided about USDA Rural Development’s Housing, Community, and Business and Cooperative Programs.

USDA Rural Development works to ensure that rural citizens can participate fully in the global marketplace, by providing programs that assist rural Americans in building strong economies and to increase economic opportunities and improve their quality of life. Representatives will be available to answer individual questions and assist applicants with their applications in all program areas.

USDA Rural Development’s housing programs offer loans and grants to very low to moderate income households in towns and cities meeting certain population requirements. Loans are primarily used to help income eligible individuals or households purchase homes in rural areas. Funds can be used to build, repair, and renovate a home, or to purchase and prepare sites, including providing water and sewage facilities. For very low income families who own homes in need of repair, the Home Repair Loan and Grant Program offers loans and grants for renovation. Money may be provided, for example, to repair a leaking roof, to construct a front-door ramp for someone using a wheelchair, to make repairs to damaged or faulty wiring, or to install a septic system for the home.

USDA Rural Development’s community programs enhance the quality of life for rural Texans by providing funds to governmental entities, nonprofit organizations and Indian Tribes for essential community facilities and services. Funds may be used for a wide range of various community projects. These include, but are not limited to, projects such as those which will enlarge, improve or construct schools, libraries, farmers markets, medical clinics, assisted living centers, public buildings, community centers and fund new and improved water and wastewater facilities. Funds are also available for entities to purchase public safety equipment such as ambulances, fire fighting equipment, and other emergency required implements.

Entrepreneurship plays a vital role in the economic stability of rural Texas. With USDA Rural Development’s Business and Cooperative Programs, rural businesses can gain access to funds that normally would not be available to them. USDA Rural Development’s business and cooperative programs provide the needed capital to expand economic opportunities and development in rural areas throughout Texas by working with banks and community lenders. The Rural Energy for America Program offers grants, guaranteed loans, and combination grant/guaranteed loans to help agricultural producers and rural small businesses purchase and install renewable energy systems and make energy efficiency improvements in rural areas.

We invite anyone who is interested in learning more about these or any of our programs to please come by and visit with us. For more information regarding USDA Rural Development programs, please contact the Hillsboro Area Office at (254) 582-7328, ext. 4 or by visiting our website at www.rurdev.usda.gov/tx/.

nd Floor of the San Saba County Courthouse, located at 500 E. Wallace St., San Saba, Texas. Information will be provided about USDA Rural Development’s Housing, Community, and Business and Cooperative Programs.