Rural Oklahoma Housing Program Ends After Federal Funding Shifts

The loss of the Self-Help Housing program in Okmulgee County highlights the ripple effects of national policy changes on local communities.

Mar. 20, 2026 at 4:07pm

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A long-running housing assistance program in rural Oklahoma has ended due to funding disruptions and changes to federal housing initiatives. The Deep Fork Community Action Foundation's Self-Help Housing program, which served 10 counties including Okmulgee County, closed in May 2025 after providing pathways to homeownership for low-income families and supporting local economies through construction jobs and spending. The closure marks a shift not only for families seeking affordable housing, but for the broader network of small businesses and workers tied to residential construction in rural areas.

Why it matters

The loss of programs like Self-Help Housing comes at a time when rural communities are already facing ongoing housing challenges, with limited access to affordable and quality homes. Unlike urban areas, rural communities often rely on fewer housing programs and have limited access to developers or large-scale housing projects. When these programs are reduced or eliminated, fewer pathways to homeownership remain, impacting community stability, property values, local tax bases, and overall economic activity.

The details

The Deep Fork Community Action Foundation's Self-Help Housing program had provided a pathway to homeownership for low-income families while also supporting local economies through job creation, tax payments, facility rentals, material purchases from local businesses, and hiring of local contractors. At its height, the program had assisted over 700 families and stood as one of the earlier self-help housing efforts in the state. Its closure was attributed to recent funding disruptions, including delays tied to the federal government shutdown, as well as changes to federal housing programs such as the USDA 502 loan program and HOME program guidelines.

  • The Self-Help Housing program ended in May 2025.
  • The program had been operating for decades prior to its closure.

The players

Deep Fork Community Action Foundation

A local organization that administered the Self-Help Housing program, which served 10 counties including Okmulgee County.

Christie Baldridge

The executive director of the Deep Fork Community Action Foundation.

U.S. Department of Agriculture

The federal agency that supported the nationwide rural housing initiative that included the Self-Help Housing program.

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What they’re saying

“The program not only built homes in the community, but also created jobs locally, paid local taxes, rented facilities within the community, purchased materials from local businesses and hired local contractors.”

— Christie Baldridge, Executive Director, Deep Fork Community Action Foundation

“Building homes in larger urban areas is not the same as building homes in rural communities.”

— Christie Baldridge, Executive Director, Deep Fork Community Action Foundation

What’s next

Housing organizations connected to the national Self-Help Housing network have raised concerns that broader structural changes may further impact programs like the one that ended in Okmulgee County. The U.S. Department of Agriculture is not renewing key support contracts set to expire in March 2026, which could affect the long-term stability of the decades-old program and limit opportunities for low-income families to build homes.

The takeaway

The closure of the Self-Help Housing program in Okmulgee County highlights the broader challenges facing rural communities when it comes to affordable housing. As federal policies and funding priorities shift, the ripple effects can be felt deeply in small towns, impacting not just individual families, but the overall economic and social fabric of these communities.