HUD AWARDS $64,451 TO PUBLIC HOUSING AGENCIES IN DELAWARE TO PROTECT RENTAL ASSISTANCE VOUCHERS
Added funding will keep approximately 8 families in affordable housing

WILMINGTON - U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan today announced today that housing agencies in Delaware will receive $64,451 to protect the rental assistance provided to families currently participating in HUD's Housing Choice Voucher Program. These agencies are among nearly 600 that will receive additional funding because they had additional leasing or experienced other unforeseen circumstances in 2009. HUD estimates this funding will keep more than 8 families in affordable housing throughout the state.

"All across this country, nearly 20,000 families can breathe a sigh of relief," said Donovan. "This additional funding
will help housing agencies to continue providing affordable housing."

The funding announced today is part of a $150 million set-aside from HUD's 2010 budget that will give public housing agencies additional funding that will help them support existing vouchers. Last February HUD issued a notice
informing public housing agencies that they could apply for this funding under the following four categories:

• Category (1): to adjust the allocations for agencies that experienced a significant increase in
  renewal costs of rental assistance resulting from unforeseen circumstances or from families moving to
  higher cost areas;
  
  
• Category (2): for adjustment for agencies with voucher leasing rates at the end of 2009 that exceed
  the average leasing for federal fiscal year 2009 12-month period used to establish the allocation;
  
  
• Category (3): for adjustments for the costs associated with Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing
  (VASH) vouchers; and
  
  
• Category (4): for vouchers that were not in use during the Federal fiscal year 12- month period in
  order to be available to meet a commitment for project-based voucher assistance.

HUD reviewed approximately 1,000 submissions from agencies across the U.S. and awarded funding based on HUD's categories. Housing agencies that applied for funding will receive notifications of application status today. The Housing Choice Voucher Program is HUD's largest rental assistance program, with an $18,184,200,000 budget for 2010. The program supports approximately 2.1 million families through rental assistance payments that make housing more affordable.

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