Byron Dickerson had always dreamed of owning his own home, but for him, that dream often felt too far out of reach. Seeing the cost-of-living skyrocket in the past several years left Byron with little hope of attaining a home he could comfortably afford. This outlook further declined during the COVID-19 pandemic, which made maintaining a steady job difficult for Byron. Despite these major setbacks, Byron was determined to achieve his goal in any way possible. He worked tirelessly, saving up every penny that he could while also researching local housing resources within the area. Eventually, Byron stumbled upon Habitat for Humanity Yuba/Sutter’s page and dug deeper into their affordable housing programs. After reaching out to our team, Byron’s opportunity came through the Rural Development 502 Home Loan program, a collaboration between Habitat for Humanity Yuba/Sutter and USDA. Through this program, low- and moderate-income households living in eligible rural areas can receive a home loan to assist with housing costs. This aims to help local communities thrive and improve the quality of life in rural areas through affordable homeownership. With the support and guidance of Habitat for Humanity’s Family Services department, Byron met all the requirements for this program and began filling out all of the necessary paperwork to go with it. Finally, after much patience and anticipation, Byron’s dream became a reality. He stepped through the door of his own home with a heartwarming smile on his face. What was once a seemingly unobtainable goal is now a solid foundation for Byron to build his future on.

“I am so very grateful for the help that Habitat for Humanity has given me. They helped me purchase my dream home in Galt, California. It was an extreme amount of work and diligence, but they got it done.” Byron shared.

“I’ve been living in the house for about three months now, and I am super happy. I couldn’t have done it without the help of Patti and Kim at Yuba/Sutter Habitat. Thank you guys.”

Byron’s story is a testament to the lifechanging power of community partnerships and the ability to take action. We couldn’t have helped Byron had he not taken the initiative to reach out to us and we wouldn’t have been able to provide this type of assistance without our amazing partnership with USDA. USDA is not only helping us transform lives, but build a more vibrant community, where everyone has the opportunity to thrive. Currently, our partnership with USDA offers essential loan packaging services for the following:

• 504 Program: Owner Occupied Rehab and Disaster Repair Loans and Grants
• 502 Program: Home Loans

We are deeply grateful for our partnership with the USDA, whose 502 and 504 grants and loans have been instrumental in opening the doors to homeownership and essential home repairs for numerous low- and moderate-income families in our community. Through this invaluable collaboration, we have proudly built 36 homes at Sierra Vista, and we are excited to expand our role as USDA loan packagers. While we may not have built the home Byron purchased, the support from the USDA has enabled us to help another family achieve affordable housing. Byron’s journey is a true testament to determination, and we extend our heartfelt thanks to him and our profound appreciation to the USDA for making dreams a reality. For anyone interested in the USDA rural development loan packaging programs, contact our Family Services department at (530)742-2727 ext. 2013 or by emailing familyservices@yubasutterhabitat.org.