This Press Release was issued on September 30, 2026:
(Washington, D.C., September 30, 2026) —The U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development today announced a revision to the initial and annual guarantee fee structure for the Section 538 Guaranteed Rural Rental Housing Program (GRRHP). Rural Development designed this change to increase affordable rural rental housing production and align with the Trump-Vance Administration’s priorities.
Consistent with the Trump-Vance Administration’s actions to expand investment, strengthen rural housing markets, and direct federal support toward high‑impact communities, the Rural Housing Service (RHS) modernizes the GRRHP guarantee fee structure to better promote development in Qualified Opportunity Zones in Rural Housing Service rural eligible areas. Under this updated structure, projects in Qualified Opportunity Zones receive a more competitive initial and annual GRRHP guarantee fee, supporting rural investment while reflecting the retirement of the former green fee category.
“The revised fee structure demonstrates our commitment to expanding affordable housing opportunities in rural America, while supporting the Trump-Vance Administration’s focus on economic development in Qualified Opportunity Zones,” said Rural Housing Service Administrator George Kelly. “These changes will help drive investment and improve access to quality rental housing for rural communities.”
The new GRRHP fee structure takes effect immediately upon publication in the Federal Register. For more information and to view the revised fee structure, visit http://www.rd.usda.gov/ or access the GRRHP revised fee structure in the Federal Register.
For more information about USDA Rural Development housing programs, visit www.rd.usda.gov.
(Click here to link to the Press Release on RD’s website.)