The United States Department of Agriculture has announced a new initiative it said strengthens the agency’s two major rural housing programs, the Single Family Housing Guaranteed Loan Program and the Single Family Housing Direct Loan Program,
The agency announced the Rural Housing Modernization Initiative as part of President Trump’s March 13 Executive Order “Removing Regulatory Barriers to Affordable Home Construction.” It is an effort to upgrade how USDA delivers affordable single-family housing through its Rural Development Mission Area.
“These upgrades answer President Trump’s call to have government provide a higher level of customer service and ultimately make home ownership more affordable for rural Americans,” said Rural Development Acting Under Secretary Todd Lindsey. “By improving efficiency and reducing friction, we are helping rural families access affordable credit in today’s housing market while maintaining strong oversight and accountability.”
The initiative seeks to improve service delivery, reduce unnecessary delays, and align processes with current market expectations. The upgrades do not change eligibility standards, funding levels or program safeguards, USDA said.
Deregulatory Action
As part of the initiative, USDA said it is taking deregulatory action by providing delegated underwriting authority in the Guaranteed Loan Program, allowing qualified lenders to approve and close loans. The agency said the change allows lenders to close loans more efficiently and aligns USDA’s requirements with other federal home lending programs at the Departments of Housing and Urban Development and Veterans Affairs.
USDA also said it has launched the My RD Loan Portal for direct loan borrowers, providing secure 24/7 access to loan information, payments and account management tools.
“These are practical, program-focused upgrades,” Rural Housing Service Administrator George Kelly said. “Delegated Authority helps guaranteed lenders deliver affordable mortgage options faster and with less bureaucracy to borrowers of the single-family guaranteed loan program, while the My RD Loan Portal provides borrowers of the single family direct loan program with easier account access.”
Together, USDA said these upgrades improve how it delivers rural housing assistance by helping borrowers, lenders, and taxpayers while preserving program integrity.
