Congressman Bill Huizenga has introduced legislation aimed at improving housing affordability in rural communities.
The FARM Home Loans Act of 2025 would expand the definition of a rural area in the FARM Home Loans Act by raising the population threshold from 2,500 to 10,000, qualifying more home buyers for Farm Credit loans. The act was first passed in 1916. Huizenga tells us it’s been updated over the years, but the current definition of a rural community could use another update.
“The definition of a rural area maybe 30, 40 years ago is a little different than it is today,” Huizenga said. “And so what we were seeing is that more and more people were getting squeezed out of this opportunity.”
Huizenga says the change would modernize outdated rules, improve access to affordable financing, and help spur economic growth in agricultural communities.
“It is still geared towards those rural communities that are out there and we want to just make sure that there’s another affordable tool for people to go in and access housing.”
Farm Credit organizations back the bill, saying it would make it easier for families to buy homes in rural areas and strengthen the long-term vitality of those communities.
Huizenga says the legislation could impact communities throughout Southwest Michigan, where there are many towns with populations of more than 2,500 but less than 10,000.
