Rural

Recently, more than 150 people from across the nation rolled along the backroads of the iconic Mississippi Delta, peering through bus windows at scene after scene of entrenched poverty juxtaposed against occasional pockets of progress that had been achieved against seemingly insurmountable odds. While there were signs of advancement, they were set against the backdrop of conditions that disproportionately plague these places—substandard housing, underperforming schools, inadequate access to quality health care, and limited private and philanthropic investment. 

Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Ben Carson said that housing is “part of the infrastructure of this country” during a March 20 interview with Fox News’ Neal Cavuto. In […]

Its surprising that we must continually fight to make sure that the arts have a role in public schools, and prove that our low-income communities are worthy of arts and culture-related investments.

The absence of bank branches and the proliferation of high-priced alternative lenders in the region only underscore the importance of access to affordable financial services.

“I'm tired of feeling rural America is so alone,” said Lisa Mensah, USDA Under Secretary for Rural Development to the attendees at the Rural Housing Summit hosted at the Federal […]

The author’s treatment of race is, at best, contradictory and, at worst, hypocritical and probably the book’s great failing.

A: Not any more! There are many myths out there about manufactured (or “mobile”) homes, but in fact they can be a very important source of quality affordable housing…

Rural communities are being ignored. Again. As discussion of the federal sequester and fights over funding dominate the news channels as well as policy discussions, key gaps in our ability […]

It’s almost New Year’s Day, and that means it’s time for everyone to write down their resolutions for 2013. I’d like to make resolutions to do certain things for the […]

“Soil” is an important word in rural places, for many people’s livelihoods have historically depended on it. From good soil comes vegetables, fruit, and grass and grain for livestock. Agricultural […]

Driving through Virginia’s Hanover County the other day, I was struck by how much history has imprinted itself on the landscape. I drove by the Hanover Courthouse, where Patrick Henry […]

The other day at a meeting I heard some residents complaining that Virginia’s transportation department won’t pave their road. I had to feel for these folks, with their cars forever […]