U.S. Senator Tina Smith Announces Hearing Aimed at Improving Rural Housing Programs

WASHINGTON, D.C. [9/16/22] — Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) – Chair of the Subcommittee on Housing, Transportation, and Community Development (HTCD) – announced she will be leading a hearing on rural housing programs. Members of the committee will hear from several stakeholders including Elizabeth Glidden, the Deputy Executive Director of the Minnesota Housing Partnership, about ways to improve the availability of rural housing, help keep rural seniors afford their homes, and reduce red tape for home owners and renters. The hearing will take place on September 20, 2022 at 2:30 pm ET.

“Without access to housing nothing else in your life works. Not your job, your health, your education or your family,” said Senator Smith. “We know that the housing crisis is hurting communities across the country, with many families struggling to find a safe, affordable place to live. I look forward to hearing from our witnesses about ways we can reform Rural Housing Service programs to serve more people and better meet the needs of families.”

This is the second hearing Senator Smith has chaired aimed at improving rural housing programs. In May, the subcommittee heard from Xochitl Torres Small, Under Secretary for Rural Development, about which aspects of the USDA’s Rural Housing Service programs are functioning well and which areas should be changed or reformed.

WHO:

  • Elizabeth Glidden, Deputy Executive Director of the Minnesota Housing Partnership
  • Marcia Erickson, CEO of GROW South Dakota
  • Tonya Plummer, Director of Native American Housing Programs at Enterprise Community Partners
  • David Battany, Executive Vice President for Capital Markets at Guild Mortgage Company, on behalf of the Mortgage Bankers of America

WHEN: 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday, September 20, 2022

WHERE: Room 538, Dirksen Senate Office Building

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