DARLINGTON, Wis., October 26, 2022 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Wisconsin Rural Development State Director Julie Lassa joined representatives of Wisconsin Department of Administration (DOA), WHEDA, Cinnaire, United Migrant Opportunity Services (UMOS), The Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago and others at a grand opening Wednesday to celebrate completion of The Meadows Apartments.

“Affordable housing is vitally important to the quality of life for everyone in our state including agricultural workers and their families,” Lassa said. “As Lafayette County is one of Wisconsin’s leading agricultural counties there is a great need for this type of workforce housing. The partnership with Southwestern Wisconsin Community Action Program and Cinnaire Solutions will help address the need for affordable, quality housing to support agricultural workers and their families in the community. USDA Rural Development, under the Biden-Harris Administration, is proud to be part of this project.” [Audio: Mp3, 21 seconds, 507KB]

USDA Rural Development’s Off-Farm Labor Housing Direct Loans and Grants program contributed $3.2 million to construct the 32-unit complex available exclusively to agriculture and farmworkers and their families. The total project cost is upwards of $8 million and includes $3.7 million in Low Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) through WHEDA.

The project consists of two 16-unit townhouse buildings, a mix of two- and three-bedroom units, and a community room. The pet-friendly housing units are furnished with energy efficient appliances. The new community room will feature outreach programs including employment access assistance, legal aid, K – 12 school communication, translation services and social services.

To learn more about investment resources for rural areas, interested parties should contact our Wisconsin USDA Rural Development office at 715-345-7600 or wi-rd-stateoffice@usda.gov.

Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities, create jobs, and improve the quality of life for millions of Americans in rural areas. This assistance supports infrastructure improvements; business development; housing; community facilities such as schools, public safety, and health care; and high-speed internet access in rural, Tribal, and high-poverty areas. For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov/wi.

If you’d like to subscribe to USDA Rural Development updates, visit our GovDelivery subscriber page.

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