Diversifying Skills to Maintain Jobs

Mr. Luis Garcia and his wife began the LEGO Construction Company in January 2006. During the first quarter of 2009, the company was struggling in the tough economy. To address the challenges, Mr. Garcia needed to diversify his company's portfolio of skills to expand his business. In March 2009, four of his engineers gained certification from Owens Corning, a shingle manufacturer in Jacksonville. In August 2009, LEGO Construction won a contract to fix the roofs at Donn Gardens, an elderly development of the Miami-Dade Public Housing Agency (MDPHA).

This contract was part of $19 million the MDPHA received in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development to improve the quality of life for its public housing residents. It was LEGO Construction's first asphalt shingle project.

In addition to public housing funds, Miami Dade County's Homeless Trust will provide $7 million in HUD ARRA funds to assist homeless individuals and families. $4.9 million in HUD Community Development Block Grant funding is being used for infrastructure improvements, Small Business Assistance Loans, and foreclosure prevention services.

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