COBB, Calif. – The USDA Housing Fair on Sept. 7 at the Black Rock Golf Course targeted the Cobb and Middletown communities of Lake County.

It was organized and facilitated by the Lake County Economic Development Corp. in collaboration with United States Department of Agriculture Rural Development.

The housing fair was also organized in part by the Cobb Area Council and Seigler Springs Community Redevelopment Association.

Participating service providers included the Lake County Association of Realtors, Sterling Mortgage, Academy Mortgage, Umpqua Bank, Skiles and Associates General Construction and Development, Heritage Development and Investments, Tarina Homes and West Coast SIPs.

Ron Tackett, USDA Single Family Housing Program director, and Robert Canepa, USDA Loan specialist, represented the agency with presentations.

The purpose of the fair was to increase awareness of available USDA Rural Development home loan programs with the goal of expediting home ownership in Lake County.

Several targeted housing fairs will take place around Lake County with future fairs anticipated in the Clearlake, Kelseyville and Upper Lake areas. Details of future housing fairs will be announced when finalized.

“USDA’s home loan programs are a great resource for any homebuyer in Lake County to consider,” said USDA Rural Development California State Director Kim Dolbow Vann. “Through these housing fairs, and in partnership with Lake County EDC, we hope to make the dream of homeownership a reality.”

USDA Rural Development’s Single-Family Housing loan programs help moderate to low-income individuals and households purchase homes, build equity, and increase their investment in the community. Highlights of the programs include no down payment, no mortgage insurance, and interest rates as low as one percent for eligible buyers.

Loans are available to all individuals and households that meet criteria such as income levels, credit scores, and stable income. Residents may be assisted in purchasing an existing home or building a new one.

For more information on USDA Rural Development’s programs visit www.rd.usda.gov/ca.

Members of the Lake County EDC Board of Directors include Wilda Shock, president; Rick White, vice president; Greg Folsom, treasurer; and directors Stephanie Ashworth, Melissa Fulton, Carol Huchingson, Ernesto Padilla, Monica Rosenthal, and Margaret Silveira.

Contact the Lake County Economic Development Corporation at 3895 Main St., Kelseyville, 707-279-1540, Extension 101, www.lakecountycaedc.org.