USDA Rural Development Funding Leverages Ohio’s Largest Solar Powered
Self-Help Housing Development
COLUMBUS, OHIO, June 18, 2008 –
Randall Hunt, state director for USDA Rural
Development awarded $601,230 in grant funding to the Community Action
Commission (CAC) of Fayette County to help finance construction of 28
homes in the Arbor Village Subdivision of Washington Court House, Ohio.
The funding comes from Rural Development’s Mutual Self-Help Housing
Program and will be used to assist families in building their own homes.
“We’ve been steadfast partners with the CAC for about 16 years, and
during that timeframe Rural Development funding has helped more than 200
Ohio families build their own homes,” said Rural Development State
Director Randy Hunt. “This latest endeavor, which introduces the
addition of solar-power technology, embraces a more environmentally
friendly construction approach. We definitely hope this isn’t the last
of these kinds of projects for Ohio.”
Rural Development has awarded more than $2.9 million to the CAC of
Fayette County since Fiscal Year 1992 through eight Mutual Self-Help
grant funding awards. The program’s funding provides technical
assistance through the use of construction professionals. These
professionals provide guidance and support enabling families to build
their homes to code.
The Department of Development’s Office of Energy Efficiency, the Ohio
Housing Trust Fund, and several other partners helped fund the solar
systems for the project. Rural Development staff members joined CAC
staff to work on four homes in the Arbor Village Subdivision in various
stages of construction.
“Rural Development has been an excellent partner with us over the years
as we’ve expanded our housing operations,” said CAC Housing Director
Patty Griffiths. “This addition to the subdivision is our first attempt
to include solar power into our construction program, and we think there
will be a definite improvement in the overall efficiency of the solar
equipped homes.”
Third Sun Solar and Wind Power is providing the solar technology for the
project. Its President, Geoff Greenfield, said the project will include
10 solar powered systems and will be the largest collection of solar
homes in one neighborhood in the state.
-more-
USDA Rural Development's mission is to deliver programs in a way that
will support
increasing economic opportunity and improve the quality of life of rural
residents. Rural Development provides equity and technical assistance to
finance and foster growth in
home ownership, business development, and critical community and
technology infrastructure.
Further information on rural programs is available by calling
614-255-2400, visiting a local USDA Rural Development office or by
viewing USDA Rural Development’s web site at
http://www.rurdev.usda.gov
<http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/> .
USDA Rural Development State Director Randy Hunt (center) presents check
for $601,230 to the Community Action Commission of Fayette County for
the latest solar powered addition to their Arbor Village Housing
Subdivision. The funding helps add 28 new homes, 10 of which will be
fitted with solar powered systems.
Geoff Greenfield, President of Third Sun Solar and Wind (blue shirt
facing crowd) explains how the addition of solar powered systems to the
newest addition in the Arbor Village Subdivision will help reduce the
electricity costs for families. Third Sun Solar and Wind produced the
solar systems to be installed in the new homes.
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