What we verified in “USDA farm labor housing and mutual self-help homes”

Statements and where we checked them

The statements with rules, figures or dates, with the exact place in the source and the date we checked them.

1. Under USDA's regulation (7 CFR §3560.11), 'farm labor housing' is on-farm or off-farm housing for farm laborers authorized by sections 514 and 516 of the Housing Act of 1949; and 'farm labor' includes cultivating the soil, raising or harvesting agricultural or aquacultural commodities, and catching, handling, planting, drying, packing, grading, storing or preserving them unprocessed, or delivering them to storage, market or a carrier, regardless of who employs you but not including self-employment.

   Sources 1 · 7 CFR §3560.11, Definitions: 'Farm labor housing. On-farm or off-farm housing for farm laborers authorized by section 514 and section 516 of the Housing Act of 1949'; 'Farm labor. Services in connection with cultivating the soil, raising or harvesting any agriculture or aquaculture commodity'; 'in catching, netting, handling, planting, drying, packing, grading, storing, or preserving in the unprocessed stage'; 'without respect to the source of employment (but not self-employed)'; 'delivering to storage, market, or a carrier for transportation to market or to processing' · Checked October 31, 2026

2. Under USDA's regulation (7 CFR §3560.11), a 'domestic farm laborer' is a person who receives a substantial portion of their income from farm labor employment (not self-employed) in the United States, Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands and either is a U.S. citizen, or resides in the United States, Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands after being legally admitted for permanent residence, or is a person legally admitted to the United States and authorized to work in agriculture; the definition may include immediate family members living with that person. A retired domestic farm laborer is at least 55 and spent the last 5 years before retirement, or most of the last 10, as a domestic farm laborer; a disabled one was a domestic farm laborer when they became disabled.

   Sources 1 · 7 CFR §3560.11, Definitions: 'Domestic farm laborer. A person who, consistent with the requirements in § 3560.576(b)(2), receives a substantial portion of his or her income from farm labor employment (not self-employed) in the United States, Puerto Rico, or the Virgin Islands and either is a citizen of the United States or resides in the United States, Puerto Rico, or the Virgin Islands after being legally admitted for permanent residence, or a person legally admitted to the United States and authorized to work in agriculture. This definition may include the immediate family members residing with such a person'; 'Retired domestic farm laborer. An individual who is at least 55 years of age and who has spent the last 5 years prior to retirement as a domestic farm laborer or spent the majority of the last 10 years'; 'Disabled domestic farm laborer. An individual with a disability as separately defined in this paragraph and who was a domestic farm laborer at the time of becoming disabled' · Checked October 31, 2026

3. Under the regulation (7 CFR §§3560.552 and 3560.553), off-farm labor housing loans and grants aim to increase the supply of affordable housing for farm labor and help communities attract farm labor with affordable, decent, safe and sanitary housing; and they can pay for seasonal or temporary residential facilities, with furnishings and equipment.

   Sources 4 · 7 CFR §§3560.552–3560.553: 'The supply of affordable housing for farm labor'; 'The ability of communities to attract farm labor by providing housing which is affordable, decent, safe and sanitary'; 'may be used to provide facilities for seasonal or temporary residential use with appropriate furnishings and equipment' · Checked October 31, 2026

4. Under the regulation (7 CFR §3560.555), off-farm labor housing loans can go to a broad-based nonprofit, a nonprofit organization of farmworkers, a federally recognized Indian tribe, a community organization, a state or local government agency or subdivision, or a limited partnership with a nonprofit general partner; grants go to the former, which must contribute at least one-tenth of the development cost.

   Sources 5 · 7 CFR §3560.555(a)–(b): 'A broad-based nonprofit organization, a nonprofit organization of farmworkers, a federally recognized Indian tribe, a community organization, or an agency or political subdivision of State or local government'; 'A limited partnership with a non-profit general partner'; 'Be able to contribute at least one-tenth of the total farm labor housing development cost' · Checked October 31, 2026

5. Under the regulation (7 CFR §§3560.603 to 3560.605), on-farm labor housing loans go to farm owners, family farm partnerships or corporations, or associations of farmers that will own the housing and run it on a nonprofit basis for workers in their own operation; there are no grants for on-farm housing; it may serve migrant workers; and it may not house the owner's immediate family.

   Sources 9 · 7 CFR §§3560.603–3560.605: 'Grants are not available for on-farm labor housing'; 'On-farm labor housing may be used to serve migrant workers'; 'may not be used to provide housing for members of the immediate family of the applicant'; 'The applicant must be a farm owner, family farm partnership, family farm corporation, or an association of farmers'; 'who will own the housing and operate it on a nonprofit basis' · Checked October 31, 2026

6. Under the regulation (7 CFR §3560.576(a)), no owner of off-farm labor housing may require a tenant to work on a particular farm or for a particular employer as a condition of living there; and no owner may discriminate, or let others discriminate, in the use of the housing because of race, color, religion, sex, age, disability, familial status or national origin.

   Sources 7 · 7 CFR §3560.576(a)(1) and (3): 'No borrower or grantee will be permitted to require that an occupant work on any particular farm or for any particular owner or interest as a condition of occupancy of the housing'; 'No borrower or grantee will discriminate, or permit discrimination by any agent, lessee, or other operator in the use or occupancy of the housing or related facilities because of race, color, religion, sex, age, disability, familial status, or national origin' · Checked October 31, 2026

7. Under the regulation (7 CFR §3560.576(b)), to live in off-farm labor housing the household must include a domestic farm laborer tenant or co-tenant, a retired one or a disabled one; it must be income eligible; and the tenant or co-tenant must receive a substantial portion of income from farm labor: in rental housing, farm earnings must be at least 65% of the agency's published annual income limit for the region, or 50% for a migrant farmworker in seasonal housing; if earnings data are not available, having worked at least 110 whole days in farm work in the previous 12 months counts, with days of at least 7 hours; and after a natural disaster such as a drought, flood or freeze, the 12 months before the disaster are used.

   Sources 7 · 7 CFR §3560.576(b)(1)–(2): 'An eligible household must include a domestic tenant or co-tenant farm laborer, a retired domestic farm laborer, or a disabled domestic farm laborer'; 'The household must meet the definition of income eligible as established in § 3560.152'; 'must receive a substantial portion of income from farm labor employment'; 'must equal at least 65 percent of the annual income limits indicated for the Standard Federal regions'; 'For migrant farmworkers living in seasonal housing the actual dollars earned from farm labor by a domestic farm laborer must equal at least 50 percent'; 'the farm laborer must have worked at least 110 whole days in farm work'; 'one whole day is the equivalent of at least 7 hours'; 'When a natural disaster has occurred, such as a drought, flood, freeze, etc., figures for the 12 months preceding such disaster will be used' · Checked October 31, 2026

8. Under the regulation (7 CFR §3560.576(e)), when the need for farm labor housing drops, units may be rented to other people who qualify for rural rental housing until the units are needed again for farm laborers, with agency approval.

   Sources 7 · 7 CFR §3560.576(e): 'When there is a diminished need for housing for persons or families in the above categories, units in off-farm labor housing complexes may be made available to persons or families eligible for occupancy under § 3560.152'; 'may occupy the labor housing until such time the units are again needed by persons or families eligible under paragraph (b) of this section' · Checked October 31, 2026

9. Under the regulation (7 CFR §3560.577), off-farm labor housing goes first to active farm laborer households, very low income first, then low and then moderate; then to retired or disabled farm laborers who were active in the local farm labor market when they retired or became disabled; and then to those who were not.

   Sources 8 · 7 CFR §3560.577(a)–(c): 'First priority is to be given to eligible active farm laborer households with first priority going to very low-income households, next priority to low-income households, and last to moderate-income households'; 'Second priority is given to retired domestic farm laborer households and disabled domestic farm laborer households who were active in the local farm labor market area'; 'Third priority is to be given to retired domestic farm laborer households and disabled domestic farm laborer households who were not active in the local farm labor market' · Checked October 31, 2026

10. Under the regulation (7 CFR §3560.203), your rent is based on your income and whether you get rental assistance: it is the highest of 30% of monthly adjusted income, 10% of gross monthly income, the part of a public assistance payment designated for housing if you receive one, or the basic rent unless you get the agency's rental assistance; and never more than the note rent.

    Sources 3 · 7 CFR §3560.203(a)(1): 'is based on the tenant's income'; 'and the availability of Agency or non-Agency rental subsidies'; 'Borrowers must set tenant contributions to rent at the highest of the following standards but never more than the note rent'; 'Thirty percent of monthly adjusted income'; 'Ten percent of gross monthly income'; 'specifically designated to meet the household's shelter costs'; 'The basic rent, unless RHS rental assistance is provided to the household' · Checked October 31, 2026

11. Under the regulation (7 CFR §§3560.573 and 3560.568), income-eligible tenants in off-farm labor housing may receive rental assistance; seasonal housing must have set opening and closing dates in its management plan, and off-season it may be used under short-term leases.

    Sources 6 · 7 CFR §3560.573(a): 'Rental assistance may be provided to income eligible tenants living in off-farm labor housing'; 7 CFR §3560.568: 'the management plan must establish specific opening and closing dates'; 'During the off-season, off-farm labor housing may be used as defined in subpart A of this part under short-term lease provisions' · Checked October 31, 2026

12. Under the regulation (7 CFR §3560.154), the application form asks, among other things, for your name and address, the number of household members and their birthdates, your income, whether you need an accessible unit, a certification that the unit will be your primary residence and that you are a U.S. citizen or a qualified alien as the regulation defines it, and your Social Security number; once you submit an application, the owner must put you on the waiting list; the date and time of a complete application set your priority; if it is incomplete, you must be told in writing within 10 days what is missing; and within 10 days of receiving a complete application, the owner must tell you in writing whether you were selected, placed on the list or rejected.

    Sources 2 · 7 CFR §3560.154(a) and (f): 'Name of the applicant and present address'; 'Number of household members and their birthdates'; 'Indication of a need for a unit accessible to individuals with disabilities'; 'Certification by the applicant that the unit will serve as the household's primary residence, and a certification that the applicant is a U.S. citizen or a qualified alien as defined in § 3560.11'; 'Social security number'; 'When an applicant has submitted an application form the borrower must place the applicant on the waiting list'; 'The date and time a complete application was submitted will be recorded on the waiting list and will establish priority for selection'; 'they must be notified in writing within 10 days of the items that are needed'; 'Within 10 days of receipt of a complete application, the Borrower must notify the applicant in writing' · Checked October 31, 2026

13. Under the regulation (7 CFR §3560.11), a 'legal or qualified alien' is any person lawfully admitted to the country who meets the criteria in section 214 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1980 (42 U.S.C. §1436a).

    Sources 1 · 7 CFR §3560.11, Definitions: 'Legal or qualified alien. Legal or qualified alien refers to any person lawfully admitted to the country who meets the criteria in section 214 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1980, 42 U.S.C. 1436a' · Checked October 31, 2026

14. Under USDA's regulation (7 CFR §1944.401), Section 523 self-help technical assistance grants fund programs of technical and supervisory assistance to help needy very-low- and low-income families build housing through self-help in rural areas; very-low-income families get priority; and the main purpose is to fund organizations willing to work with families that otherwise would not qualify as homeowners, generally families below 50% of median income, living in substandard housing or lacking the skills to be homeowners.

    Sources 10 · 7 CFR §1944.401: 'to finance programs of technical and supervisory assistance for self-help housing, as authorized under section 523 of the Housing Act of 1949'; 'to aid needy very low- and low-income families in carrying out self-help housing efforts in rural areas'; 'Very low-income families must receive a priority for recruitment and participation'; 'to fund organizations that are willing to locate and work with families that otherwise do not qualify as homeowners'; 'Generally, these are families below 50 percent of median incomes, living in substandard housing, and/or lacking the skills to be good homeowners' · Checked October 31, 2026

15. Under the regulation (7 CFR §1944.403(i)), mutual self-help is the construction method in which participating families, organized in groups of generally 4 to 10, use their own labor to reduce the total cost of their homes; they complete the work by exchanging labor with one another; and it is the method that must be used for new construction.

    Sources 11 · 7 CFR §1944.403(i): 'The construction method by which participating families organized in groups generally of 4 to 10 families utilize their own labor to reduce the total construction cost of their homes'; 'Participating families complete construction work on their homes by an exchange of labor with one another'; 'The mutual self-help method must be used for new construction' · Checked October 31, 2026

16. Under the regulation (7 CFR §1944.403(k)), participating families have very low or low incomes and can furnish their share of the labor regardless of the head of household's disability, age, race, color, national origin, religion, family status or sex; they must be approved for a Section 502 rural housing loan or a similar loan before construction starts; they must have enough time to help build and want to work with other families; each family must contribute labor on the others' homes to complete 65% of the listed tasks; and a substitute is allowed only if the family is incapacitated, with prior approval.

    Sources 11 · 7 CFR §1944.403(k): 'Participants are families with very low- or low-incomes who have the ability to furnish their share of the required labor input regardless of the handicap, age, race, color, national origin, religion, family status, or sex of the head of household'; 'must be approved for a section 502 RH loan or similar loans'; 'before the start of construction'; 'have sufficient time available to assist in building their own homes, and show a desire to work with other families'; 'Each family in the group must contribute labor on each other's homes to accomplish the 65 percent of the total 100 percent of tasks'; 'A substitute is only permitted when the participating family is incapacitated' · Checked October 31, 2026

17. Under the regulation (7 CFR §1944.403(n)), the organization's technical assistance includes recruiting families and helping them get loans; holding meetings to explain the program and homeownership topics such as loan payments, taxes, insurance and upkeep; helping obtain building sites and choose house plans the families can afford; getting cost estimates for materials; preparing loan applications; and supervising and training families during construction.

    Sources 11 · 7 CFR §1944.403(n): 'Recruiting families who are interested in sharing labor in the construction of each other's homes and assisting such families in obtaining housing loans'; 'subjects related to home ownership, such as loan payments, taxes, insurance, maintenance, and upkeep of the property'; 'acquisition and development of suitable building sites'; 'selecting or developing house plans for homes which will meet their needs and which they can afford'; 'obtaining cost estimates for construction materials'; 'Providing assistance in the preparation of loan applications'; 'Providing construction supervision and training for families while they construct their homes' · Checked October 31, 2026

18. Under the regulation (7 CFR §1944.403(j)), the organizations that receive these grants are a state, political subdivision or public nonprofit corporation (including Indian tribes), or a private nonprofit corporation.

    Sources 11 · 7 CFR §1944.403(j): 'A State, political subdivision, or public nonprofit corporation (including Indian tribes or Tribal corporations)'; 'A private nonprofit corporation' · Checked October 31, 2026

19. Under the regulation (7 CFR §1944.423), the organization must help families submit their Section 502 rural housing loan application, but must understand that only Rural Development can approve or deny assistance.

    Sources 12 · 7 CFR §1944.423: 'A grantee is required to assist 502 RH applicants in submitting their application for a RH loan'; 'must understand that only Rural Development can approve or deny an applicant assistance' · Checked October 31, 2026

20. Under the regulation (7 CFR §3550.53), for a Section 502 direct loan the household's adjusted income may not exceed the area's low-income limit at approval or the moderate-income limit at closing; you must be a U.S. citizen or a noncitizen who qualifies as a legal alien under §3550.10; you must live in the home; current homeowners generally do not qualify for an initial loan, with exceptions; you show repayment ability if principal, interest, taxes and insurance do not exceed 33% of repayment income and, with monthly debts, 41%; and first-time homebuyers must complete homeownership education from a certified provider, with exceptions.

    Sources 14 · 7 CFR §3550.53(a)–(i): 'the household's adjusted income must not exceed the applicable low-income limit for the area, and at closing, must not exceed the applicable moderate-income limit'; 'The applicant must be a United States citizen or a noncitizen who qualifies as a legal alien as defined in § 3550.10'; 'Applicants must agree to and have the ability to occupy the dwelling'; 'Current homeowners are not eligible for initial loans except as follows'; 'does not exceed thirty-three percent of the applicant's repayment income'; 'must not exceed forty-one percent of the applicant's repayment income'; 'Applicants who are first-time homebuyers must agree to provide documentation'; 'a homeownership education course from a certified provider' · Checked October 31, 2026

21. Under the regulation (7 CFR §§3550.66 to 3550.68), a Section 502 loan uses the Rural Housing Service rate in effect at approval or closing, whichever is lower, and current rates are available at any Rural Development office; the term is no more than 33 years, or 38 if your adjusted income does not exceed 60% of area median income and the longer term is needed for you to afford it; and payment subsidies such as interest credit are subject to recapture when you transfer title or stop living in the home.

    Sources 15 · 7 CFR §3550.66: 'Loans will be written using the applicable RHS interest rate in effect at loan approval or loan closing, whichever is lower'; 'Information about current interest rates is available in any Rural Development office'; 7 CFR §3550.67: 'Thirty-three years in all cases except as noted'; 'if the applicant's adjusted income does not exceed 60 percent of the area adjusted median income and the longer term is necessary to show repayment ability'; 7 CFR §3550.68: 'RHS administers three types of payment subsidies: interest credit, payment assistance method 1, and payment assistance method 2'; 'Payment subsidies are subject to recapture when the borrower transfers title or ceases to occupy the property' · Checked October 31, 2026

22. Under the regulation (7 CFR §3550.10), 'legal alien' refers to any person lawfully admitted to the country who meets the criteria in section 214 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1980 (42 U.S.C. §1436a).

    Sources 13 · 7 CFR §3550.10, Definitions: 'Legal alien. For the purposes of this part, legal alien refers to any person lawfully admitted to the country who meets the criteria in section 214 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1980, 42 U.S.C. 1436a' · Checked October 31, 2026

23. Under the statute (42 U.S.C. §1436a(a)), assistance may go to a noncitizen only if they are a U.S. resident and are, among other categories, a lawful permanent resident, a refugee or asylee, a person paroled for emergent reasons or reasons in the public interest, a person whose deportation is being withheld, a person admitted for temporary or permanent residence under section 245A of the immigration law, or a lawful resident under the Compacts of Free Association; and the restriction applies to the direct loan program under section 1472.

    Sources 16 · 42 U.S.C. §1436a(a)–(b): 'may not make financial assistance available for the benefit of any alien unless that alien is a resident of the United States and is'; 'an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence as an immigrant'; 'pursuant to an admission under section 1157 of title 8 or pursuant to the granting of asylum (which has not been terminated)'; 'for emergent reasons or reasons deemed strictly in the public interest pursuant to section 1182(d)(5) of title 8'; 'as a result of the Attorney General’s withholding deportation'; 'an alien lawfully admitted for temporary or permanent residence under section 1255a of title 8'; 'under section 141 of the Compacts of Free Association'; 'the direct loan program under section 1472 of this title' · Checked October 31, 2026

24. According to USDA's eligibility site, it is used to evaluate the likelihood that a potential applicant would be eligible; for many USDA loans, household income must meet certain guidelines and the property must be in an eligible rural area; it has sections to check property eligibility and to assess a household's potential eligibility; and to get more information and contact a USDA program representative, you use the site's Contact Us link.

    Sources 17 · USDA Income and Property Eligibility Site: 'This site is used to evaluate the likelihood that a potential applicant would be eligible for program assistance'; 'household income must meet certain guidelines'; 'located in an eligible rural area as defined by USDA'; 'To determine if a property is located in an eligible rural area'; 'To assess potential eligibility of an applicant/household'; 'For additional information and to contact a USDA Program Representative, click on the Contact Us link above' · Checked October 31, 2026

25. The Legal Services Corporation (LSC) has a search tool: you enter an address or city and it shows an LSC-funded legal aid organization near you.

    Sources 18 · I Need Legal Help: 'enter an address or city below to find an LSC-funded legal aid organization near you' · Checked October 31, 2026