Executive

service

Rural Housing Service

The Rural Housing Service provides grants and loans for housing and community facilities in rural areas of the U.S.

0child agencies

1recorded aliases

1official source records

Agency profile

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Official name: Rural Housing Service
Display name: Rural Housing Service
Branch: Executive
Agency type: service
Phone: 1-202-692-0268
Main address: 1400 Independence Ave., SW Rm 5014, STOP 0701 Washington, DC 20250-0701

Known names and aliases

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Recent rules and notices

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Rule

Published April 13, 2026

91 FR 18769

Revisions to the Calculation of Annual Household Income and Net Family Assets in the Section 515 Rural Rental Housing and Section 514/516 Farm Labor Housing Programs

The Rural Housing Service (RHS or Agency), a Rural Development (RD) agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), amends its regulation to implement changes related to income calculation and net family assets for properties that receive funding from the Multi-Family Housing (MFH) Section 515 Rural Rental Housing and the Section 514/516 Farm Labor Housing Direct Loan and Grant programs. These changes are intended to align the Agency's annual income certification requirements with the Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act of 2016 (HOTMA).

Starts April 13, 2026

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Official website Contact page Office locator USA.gov profile

Phone

1-202-692-0268

Main address

1400 Independence Ave., SW Rm 5014, STOP 0701 Washington, DC 20250-0701

Source records

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USA.gov

Rule

Published April 10, 2026

91 FR 18275

Multi-Family Housing Simple Transfer Pilot Program

The Rural Housing Service (RHS) has extended its Simple Transfer Pilot Program until December 31, 2027. This initiative streamlines transfers for certain USDA Section 514 Farm Labor Housing and 515 Rural Rental Housing properties. The program simplifies extensive application requirements, previously applied to all property ownership changes, for less complex transactions. This aims to reduce costs and improve processing times. RHS will evaluate the program's effectiveness, with successful changes potentially incorporated into permanent regulations to encourage property preservation and portfolio revitalization.

Starts December 31, 2027

CFR Title 7, Part 3560

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Proposal

Published March 31, 2026

91 FR 15914

Single Family Housing Guaranteed Loan Program-Income Producing Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Provisions

The Rural Housing Service (RHS or the Agency), an agency of the Rural Development mission area within the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), is issuing a proposed rule to amend the current Single Family Housing Guaranteed Loan Program (SFHGLP) regulation. These proposed changes are intended to allow the Agency to finance a single family home with a single or multiple income producing Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU). Additionally, we propose to clarify that borrowers can finance properties with features designed to accommodate home-based operations with non-commercial real estate features. The plain language summary of the proposal is available on Regulations.gov in the docket for rulemaking.

Comment by June 1, 2026

CFR Title 7, Part 3555

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Notice

Published March 23, 2026

91 FR 13816

Single Family Housing Section 502 Home Loan Program-Self-Help and Affordable Housing

The Rural Housing Service (RHS or the Agency), a Rural Development (RD) agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), is issuing this notice to announce a pilot for the Single Family Housing Section 502 direct loan program (Section 502) to test alternative values of modest housing for self-help housing and when affordable housing products are provided. The Agency intends to evaluate the impact of authorizing the value of properties constructed through the self-help program to exceed the maximum area loan limit under RHS's current regulations; and permitting grants and other affordable housing products to exceed the area loan limit for all Section 502 loans. This notice outlines the pilot parameters and provides contact information for additional details about the pilot.

Starts March 23, 2026

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Notice

Published March 19, 2026

91 FR 13277

Single Family Housing Section 502 Guaranteed Loan Program Lender Interactive Test Environment (LITE) Delegated Authority Pilot Program

The Rural Housing Service (RHS), a division of the Rural Development Agency within the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), is implementing the Lender Interactive Test Environment (LITE) Delegated Authority Pilot Program for the Section 502 Single Family Housing Guaranteed Loan Program (SFHGLP). The purpose of this pilot program is to test a change in the SFHGLP loan approval process by replacing the Agency's pre-closing loan approval requirement with the delegation of loan approval authority to eligible lenders, consistent with the Delegated Authority final rule (Federal Register Docket Number RHS-21-SFH-0017). This pilot program is authorized under 42 U.S.C. 1476(b). This notice provides detailed information about the pilot program, including eligibility criteria, application process, operational procedures, monitoring, and oversight mechanisms.

Starts September 1, 2026

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Rule

Published March 19, 2026

91 FR 13211

Single Family Housing Guaranteed Loan Program

The Rural Housing Service (RHS or Agency), a Rural Development (RD) Agency within the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), is amending its regulations to grant Delegated Lenders participating in the Single-Family Housing Guaranteed Loan Program (SFHGLP) the authority to make loans and obtain Loan Note Guarantees after closing using automated loan underwriting and closing systems.

Starts June 17, 2026

CFR Title 7, Part 3555

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