One Country Project

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Here's the latest news affecting rural America...

MAYDAY, MAYDAY: DEBT DEFAULT APPROACHES

The United States could default on its debt as soon as June 1 – a mere 9 days away.
A breach of the debt limit would be catastrophic for the U.S. economy and interrupt billions in Social Security payments; about $49 million in Medicare payments to providers; $22 million in Medicaid payments to states; the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children; Veterans Affairs (VA) facility funding; and opioid crisis services. In short, it would endanger the health and security of America's most vulnerable populations.
Disruptions to Medicare and Medicaid payments would disproportionately impact smaller and rural hospitals and doctors' offices that have tight margins, making providers more hesitant to see Medicare and Medicaid patients and putting low-income households' and retirees' health at risk.
Yesterday, President Biden and Speaker Kevin McCarthy met to attempt to find a way forward. While they agreed that preventing a default is absolutely necessary, they have yet to cut a deal that lifts the ceiling.

A RURAL HOUSING CRISIS

A lack of quality, affordable homes is preventing many families from moving – particularly to rural areas.
Housing prices and interest rates have skyrocketed not only in cities, but rural areas across the country have seen prices climb 16 percent on average. Lower- and middle-income buyers scrambling in the search for a place to call home.

Inflation has tightened budgets for everything from utilities to groceries, putting houses for would-be first-time homeowners out of reach. 70 percent of young adults have a harder time buying a home than their parents' generation.
Limited housing has consequences for other sectors: rural towns are having trouble recruiting workers because none can afford to live nearby – and construction workers are not available to build new houses to expand the supply.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development programs provide opportunities to buy, build, or repair affordable homes in rural America and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) awarded Rural Capacity Building (RCB) grants to increase access to and the availability of affordable homes – yet construction costs remain high.

CREATING RURAL HOMELESSNESS

Mobile and manufactured homes are non-subsidized affordable housing options, making up 13 percent of all occupied homes in rural and small towns across the country. Yet recent private equity takeovers have hiked rent for the more than 20 million Americans who live in these homes – rather than spurring development, these private investments are worsening the housing crisis.
Corporate ownership, heightened demand, the continuing shortage of affordable housing, and resulting spiked costs is exacerbating rural homelessness, which increased nearly 6 percent from 2020 to 2022.
Rural homelessness hits children particularly hard: rural counties often lack family homeless shelters and schools sometimes provide the only support system available. Students who do not have a stable place to live face a vicious cycle: they are unable to attend school regularly, score low on standardized tests, and fail to graduate from high school – putting them at great risk for future homelessness.

RURAL PROGRESS SUMMIT 2023

Curious about creating safe and affordable places to live? Join OCP founder and former Senator Heidi Heitkamp and the National Low Income Housing Coalition's Kayla Laywell at OCP's second Rural Progress Summit! Tune in virtually Wednesday, June 7th through Friday, June 9th to hear about how to expand affordable and accessible housing opportunities in rural America.

	Each week, this newsletter highlights what's going on in rural states, counties, communities, and what One Country Project is up to around the country. If you value this content, please consider donating to One Country Project. Your contribution supports our efforts to connect with rural voters and to promote greater opportunities for rural communities.
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ARE YOU HEARING THAT?

Today, the House Energy and Commerce Committee's Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations is holding the hearing: "Growing the Domestic Energy Sector Supply Chain and Manufacturing Base: Are Federal Efforts Working?"

Tomorrow, the House Committee on Small Business will hold a hearing focusing on "Saluting Service: Supporting Veteran Owned Small Businesses."

Thursday, the House Committee on Ways and Means' Subcommittee on Trade will hold a hearing examining "Modernizing Customs Policies to Protect American Workers and Secure Supply Chains."