USDA welcomes you to Sprawlsville!

In his March 14 column, the SouthtownStar's Guy Tridgell finds a cow to tip over: the USDA will cover your downpayment and fully back your low-interest mortgage if you buy in a subdivision on Chicagoland's urban fringe. In the Southland, Peotone and Beecher both qualify. Meanwhile, the towns north of them, University Park and Matteson in particular (both with Metra and Pace service), have been clobbered by foreclosures.

As the Sun-Times reports today, this summer you can put the money you saved into your gas tank.