Recent research led by Associate Dean Ryan Allen examines one of the more effective tools for ensuring affordable housing in rural areas, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Section 515 program. The program is reaching a turning point that could dramatically reduce the number of affordable housing units available.  

The project examines the impact of Section 515 in the Midwest and recommends policy changes to ensure it remains viable in future years. 

The research was a collaboration among the University of Minnesota’s Center for Urban and Regional Affairs (CURA), the Minnesota Housing Partnership (MHP), and the Housing Justice Center.