Heather Colley and her two children moved four times over five years as they fled high rents in eastern Tennessee, which, like much of rural America, hasn't been spared from soaring housing costs .

A family gift in 2021 of a small plot of land offered a shot at homeownership, but building a house was beyond reach for the 45-year-old single mother and manicurist making $18.50 an hour.

That changed when she qualified for $272,000 from a nonprofit to build a three-bedroom home because of a grant program that has helped make affordable housing possible in rural areas for decades. She moved in last June.

“Every time I pull into my garage, I pinch myself,” Colley said.

Now, President Donald Trump wants to eliminate that grant, the HOME Investment Partnerships Program, and House Repub

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