HUD ANNOUNCES $328,576 FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN GRAND JUNCTION FOR REMAINDER OF FY2011

DENVER - U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan today announced the name of grantee will receive more than $328,576 to support community development and produce more affordable housing in Grand Junction. HUD's annual funding will also help find homes for individuals and families living on the streets and provide permanent housing for individuals living HIV/AIDS.

The FY2011 Continuing Resolution significantly reduced overall funding for the CDBG and HOME programs compared
to last year. The nation's CDBG funding was reduced by more than $600 million, or approximately 16.5 percent, while the HOME program funding was reduced by more than $200 million, or approximately 11.7 percent.

"This year's block grant funding requires tough choices that we would not have made in better circumstances," Donovan said. "As we work under the challenges of our nation's deficit, we must also understand that these
programs are absolutely essential in promoting community development, producing affordable housing, helping our homeless and even supporting long-term disaster recovery."

Since 1974, HUD's Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program has provided approximately $132 billion to state and local governments to target their own community development priorities. The rehabilitation of affordable housing and the improvement of public facilities have traditionally been the largest uses of CDBG although the
program is also an important catalyst for job growth and business opportunities.

Regional Administrator Garcia said that annual CDBG funds are distributed to communities, like Grand Junction, according to a statutory formula based on a community's population, poverty, and age of its housing stock, and extent of overcrowded housing.

HUD is instituting several important program priorities in the upcoming year. First, the Department's consolidated planning process will be enhanced. Largely unchanged since the mid-1990s, the 'Con Plan' will be simplified by integrating HUD's technology systems and eliminating the need to prepare a separate annual performance report. Second, HUD's Office of Community Planning and Development is moving rapidly to implement its unified OneCPD technical assistance process which is particularly important as many local governments continue to struggle with budgetary pressures resulting from the economic downturn. Finally, HUD is again urging grantees to consider the needs of returning veterans and their families in the design and administration of these formula programs.

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HUD's mission is to create strong, sustainable, inclusive communities and quality affordable homes for all. HUD is working to strengthen the housing market to bolster the economy and protect consumers; meet the need for quality affordable rental homes: utilize housing as a platform for improving quality of life; build inclusive and sustainable communities free from discrimination; and transform the way HUD does business. More information about HUD and its programs is available on the Internet at www.hud.gov and espanol.hud.gov. You can also follow HUD on Twitter at @HUDnews or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/HUD.

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