To the Editor:

How many low-moderate income people know that Berne, Knox, Westerlo, and other neighboring areas are listed as approved areas on the United States Department of Agriculture Rural Development to qualify for Section 502 home-buying loans?

“The Section 502 Guaranteed Loan Program assists approved lenders in providing low- and moderate-income households the opportunity to own adequate, modest, decent, safe and sanitary dwellings as their primary residence in eligible rural areas,” the USDA says.

“Eligible applicants may purchase, build, rehabilitate, improve or relocate a dwelling in an eligible rural area with 100% financing. The program provides a 90% loan note guarantee to approved lenders in order to reduce the risk of extending 100% loans to eligible rural home buyers – so no money down for those who qualify!”

The state director for New York is listed as Brian Murray in Syracuse.

Albany County leadership should be demanding Section 502 housing loan inclusion for the city of Albany and the town of Guilderland to prevent overcrowding that is in motion for Guilderland to help Governor [Kathy] Hochul have a win proposing that all homes qualify for accessory dwelling homes.

New Jersey and metro New York have the fortitude to tell Governor Hochul that her plan for accessory dwelling units like her congestion pricing plan will do more harm than good.

In my opinion, the ADU initiative is a tax grab plan to get more tax dollars out of every parcel but at the expense of quality of life and overcrowding in Guilderland. We do not need the ADU plan in Guilderland.

We could provide housing if we demand home ownership lending practices to open up and include Guilderland and Albany in the Section 502 program.

Christine Duffy

Guilderland

Editor’s note: The USDA Rural Development’s Section 502 Direct Loan Program, set up by the Housing Act of 1949, is for low- and very-low-income families living in rural areas; Guilderland is suburban and Albany is urban so the program would not apply.