Several people who reside in areas around East Texas including Cherokee can benefit from a program to help those in rural areas to get housing. As of yet, the Bell is reaching out to the organization to see if they will be participating with any communities within our area.
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Through a cooperative agreement with USDA Rural Development and in partnership with the T.L.L. Temple Foundation, the Housing Team at Communities Unlimited (CU) has announced its expansion into East Texas. This initiative will bring housing solutions to 10 rural communities, including Queen City (Cass County), Atlanta (Cass County), Linden (Cass County), Alto (Cherokee County), Crockett (Houston County), Rusk (Cherokee County), Pineland (Sabine County), San Augustine (San Augustine County), Ames (Liberty County), and Orange (Orange County).
Each of these communities lies within the T.L.L. Temple Foundation’s service area. CU’s Housing efforts will expand on the foundation-supported initiatives led by the Community Sustainability Team. CU’s expansion will follow its COME HOME approach, a holistic model initially launched in Dumas, Arkansas. This model integrates housing needs assessments, strategic planning, education, and resource development to address the unique housing needs of rural communities. The goal is to equip families, small business owners, and farmers with the tools and resources to create sustainable living environments and boost rural economies.
CU began its initial efforts in East Texas in December 2024, with site visits from staff to assess local housing challenges and begin developing community-specific solutions. The focus is on identifying needs, creating strategic housing plans, and building resource portfolios to promote sustainable housing development and preservation.
To support this initiative, CU hired Kamilah Tatum as Community Housing Technician in January 2025. Kamilah will provide technical assistance and help communities and residents in East Texas find and apply for grants, assist individuals in their journey to homeownership, and connect communities to housing resources, ensuring effective service delivery and community engagement. This effort is further strengthened by CU’s Environmental Services Team, who support housing initiatives across our seven-state service area.
“Our Housing Team is dedicated to the success of our communities, and we are excited to be in Texas doing the work we love,” said Audra Butler, CU’s Area Director of Rural Housing. “The goal of our COME HOME housing program is to bring resources into rural communities and support them as they address their housing and development needs. The expansion of our unique housing approach to the area will help these communities build on the highly impactful work of our Community Sustainability and Environmental Teams in the East Texas and Deep East Texas regions and provide quality, safe, and affordable homes for their residents.”
For more information about Communities Unlimited’s Housing work and how this can benefit your community, visit our website at Housing – Communities Unlimited.
About Communities Unlimited, Inc:
Communities Unlimited, Inc. is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization founded in 1975 that works in Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Texas. CU connects rural Americans to solutions that foster healthy businesses, thriving communities, and an improved quality of life. We believe that access to opportunities should never be limited by location, income, or background. Through a holistic approach blending human connection, technology, and expertise, we create lasting economic impact by supporting small businesses, sustainable water systems, rural housing, and vibrant local economies. By building rural capacity through collaboration and strategically blended solutions, we empower communities with the resources they need to grow and prosper.