LAHARPE — The chances are slim, Don Diebolt said, that workers earning between $8 and $12 an hour could afford to move into a $120,000 home if they could utilize only a mortgage from a private lending institution.
“But with these Rural Development programs, they may be able to do just that,” said Diebolt, owner of Diebolt Lumber and Supply.
Diebolt spoke during a ceremony Wednesday sponsored by U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development.
Diebolt and Jim Nixon were honored by Rural Development State Director Patty Clark for their participation in and promoting of the agency’s programs. The ceremony celebrated June’s designation as National Homeownership Month.
“I promote USDA Rural Development programs because individuals can qualify for home loans through them, when they aren’t meeting all the requirements of a bank,” Diebolt said. “For me, it’s all about helping people find a quality home for their family.”
National Homeownership Month is observed each June to raise awareness about the role owning homes plays in stimulating the economy, strengthening neighborhoods and improving lives, particularly in rural America, Clark said.
“This always seems to be the most pressing need for rural communities: more housing,” Clark said.
Nixon, of Coffeyville, typically stops by Diebolt Lumber each Saturday to visit with folks interested in building or improving their homes to help determine loan or grant eligibility.
The Rural Development office has two home loan programs for families in rural areas, the Single Family Housing Guaranteed Loan and the Single Family Housing Direct Loan program. This year, the agency has provided more than $108 million in loans and grants to assist 1,211 Kansas homeowners.
Also recognized during Wednesday’s ceremony were Marilyn Dean and Shalawnda McVey, Rural Development employees in Iola, for their customer service, and Evette Woods, Humboldt, a Rural Development loan recipient.
Homeownership efforts lauded Diebolt Lumber among list of honorees
