Sen. Brown Announces New Federal Resources to Promote Senior Healthcare in Knox County
U.S. Department of Agriculture Will Loan the Ohio Eastern Star Home $9,500,000 to Construct a New Skilled Nursing Facility
WASHINGTON D.C. – New federal resources will allow for the construction a new Skilled Nursing Facility in Knox County. U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) announced today that the Ohio Eastern Star Home will receive a $9,500,000 loan from the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Rural Development branch’s Community Facility Loan program. The total cost of the project is expected to be $11,000,000.
The Ohio Eastern Star Home provides aging adults in Knox County with independent and assisted living facilities as well as a health care center. Its new facility will have four “Health Care Neighborhoods” with common areas and 62 private units. It will replace 2 older wings, while also adding staff and administrative support areas.
“It can often be difficult for rural communities to fully fund critical infrastructure projects,” Brown said. “These funds from the Agriculture Department will help Knox County ensure that its seniors have the high quality health facilities they need.
According to the USDA, the Community Facility Loan Program supports funding supports funding for essential community facilities in rural areas, such as health care, public safety, and education.
Brown is the first Ohioan to serve on the Senate Agriculture Committee in more than 40 years. In 2014, he was part of the Senate Farm Bill Conference Committee that successfully negotiated a five-year farm bill that had been stalled for more than three years. Brown supported a strong Rural Development title in the 2014 Farm Bill to encourage economic development in rural communities.
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