VICE PRESIDENT BIDEN ANNOUNCES $3,211,918 IN RECOVERY ACT FUNDS TO CLEAN UP DANGEROUS LEAD IN HOUSING IN ARIZONA
Grants to protect children, create healthy housing and create jobs

WASHINGTON - Following a tour of the Esperanza Community Housing Corporation in South Central Los Angeles, Vice President Biden today announced that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is making nearly than $100 million in Recovery Act funding available to help eliminate dangerous lead-based paint and other health and safety hazards from low-income homes. HUD's grants will help 53 local programs in 20 states and the District of Columbia to protect young children from lead poisoning and create jobs. To view a summary of local programs
funded through the Recovery Act, visit HUD's website.

The Vice President was joined by Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Rep. Xavier Becerra and U.S. Department
of Housing and Urban Development Deputy Secretary Ron Simms on the visit to Esperanza Community Housing Corporation, which is receiving $875,000 to help identify and clean up lead and other health hazards in 225 homes
in Los Angeles.

"It is unacceptable that some 40 percent of homes in this country still contain lead-based paints, the majority of which are in low-income areas where homes have not been renovated in decades," said Vice President Biden. "These are our children, our next generation - and thanks to the Recovery Act, we are investing in their future by reducing lead paint in their homes, educating their families about its abundant hazards and improving the safety of the communities they grow up in."

"In making these grants available today, the Department is acknowledging the importance of healthy homes and protecting our children from dangerous lead hazards," said HUD Deputy Secretary Sims. "And not only will this
program contribute to healthy, safe homes for all children and families, which is a top priority for HUD, but it will also support shovel-ready projects that are essential to getting Americans back to work and fixing the nation's economic crisis quickly and efficiently."

Funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act), which was signed into law
by President Obama on February 17, the grants to States and local governments are being offered by HUD's Office
of Healthy Homes and Lead Hazard Control. The recipients of these Recovery Act grants were qualified applicants
in the FY08 funding cycle but were not initially awarded grants because of the limited number of funds available at that time. The grants will contribute to President Obama's mission under the Recovery Act to create and sustain
jobs and jumpstart the nation's economy.

The Recovery Act includes $13.61 billion for projects and programs administered by HUD, nearly 75 percent of which was allocated to state and local recipients only eight days after President Obama signed the Act into law. The remaining 25 percent of funds will be awarded through a competitive grant process in the coming months. HUD is committed to implementing Recovery Act investments swiftly, but also effectively as they generate tens of
thousands of jobs, modernize homes to make them energy efficient, and help the families and communities hardest
hit by the economic crisis.

In addition, Secretary Donovan and the Department are committed to providing the highest level of transparency possible as Recovery Act funds are administered. It is vitally important that the American people are fully aware of how their tax dollars are being spent and can hold their federal leaders accountable. Every dollar of Recovery Act funds HUD awards can be reviewed and tracked at HUD's Recovery Act website. The full text of HUD's funding
notices and tracking future performance of these grants is also available at HUD's Recovery Act website.

State of Arizona

The City of Phoenix will be awarded $2,336,918 in federal funding under the Lead-Based Paint Hazard Control grant program to continue its current Lead Safe Phoenix Program. The program will include the following services:
eliminating lead hazards in homes of children with elevated blood lead levels, conducting outreach and education to reach at least 4,000 individuals either through community events or enrollment of individual households, and
providing skill-training and training of lead safe work practices to at least 200 individuals engaged through
partnerships with Lead Safe Phoenix. Contact Ms. Yolanda Martinez, Project Manager, (602) 534-3757.

The City of Phoenix, in conjunction with the Phoenix Healthy Homes Partnership, will be awarded $875,000 in
federal funding under the Healthy Homes Demonstration grant program to serve 100 eligible households through this program. To achieve this goal, the Partnership anticipates working with at least 135 households. To ensure those most at risk are those served, the project will target privately owned, low-income housing which houses children
that have been identified to be at risk for illness or injury related to housing conditions. These children will be identified through four intakes: (1) The Phoenix Children's Breathmobile or its partner school nurses will refer children determined to have asthma, (2) the LHCP and/or ADHS will refer elevated blood lead level (EBL) children, (3) Head Start teachers and caseworkers will refer children whose homes are determined during a home visit to have safety
or health hazards, and (4) Eligible target area households participating in NSD housing rehabilitation programs or its Arizona Department of Housing (ADOH) Grant Program will also provide a client source. Contact Ms. Yolanda
Martinez, Program Manager
(602) 534-3757.

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HUD is the nation's housing agency committed to increasing homeownership, particularly among minorities; creating affordable housing opportunities for low-income Americans; and supporting the homeless, elderly, people with disabilities and people living with AIDS. The Department also promotes economic and community development, and enforces the nation's fair housing laws. More information about HUD and its programs is available on the Internet
and espanol.hud.gov.