USDA Rural Housing Services Section 523 Mutual Self-Help Housing Technical Assistance Grant Program

USDA Rural Housing Services Section 523 Mutual Self-Help Housing Technical Assistance Grant Program

Funder: USDA Rural Development (administered by Florida Non-Profit Housing Inc. as Southeast Regional Contractor)

Purpose: Provides administrative grants to help housing agencies build capacity, enabling them to be more productive in their communities.

Background: FNPH has served as the Southeast Regional Contractor for this program since 1981. The Southeast Region has served over 11,000 people through the Self-Help Housing Program.

Eligible Applicants

• Housing agencies and non-profit housing corporations
• Units of local government
• Organizations seeking to develop, own, and manage housing for farm workers

Geographic Scope

Southeast Region served by FNPH includes:
• Delaware
• Florida
• Maryland
• Mississippi
• Virginia

Allowable Uses

• Hiring staff
• Administrative costs
• Recruiting families
• Providing homeownership counseling
• Packaging mortgages
• Providing construction supervision and training

Grant Structure

• Typical Duration: 2 years
• Complementary Financing: Mortgages provided primarily through Rural Development's Section 502 Loan Program, which offers 100% financing with subsidized interest rates to qualifying families

Additional Services

• Technical assistance to non-profit housing corporations and units of local government
• Training for housing development and management
• Assistance in leveraging other funding sources (HOME, SHIP, CDBG) to lower mortgages from primary lenders
• Impact: Agencies assisted by FNPH have leveraged over $133,000,000 for nearly 3,000 rental housing units for farm workers in the Southeast

Contact Information

Florida Non-Profit Housing, Inc. Phone: (863) 385-2519 Website: https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/mutual-self-help-housing-technical-assistance-grants