HUD DELIVERS $33.7 MILLION IN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND
HOUSING FUNDS FOR COMMUNITIES IN NORTH/CENTRAL FLORIDA
HUD grants invest in people and places in need

JACKSONVILLE - Sixteen communities in north and central Florida will receive a total of $33,736,887 in federal assistance through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to stimulate local economies, produce affordable housing, help the homeless, and assist families and individuals with HIV/AIDS. In making today's announcement, HUD's Regional Director Brian Noyes said the funding signals HUD's commitment to helping local communities design their own plan to help lower income families.

"The funding we announce today is an investment in Florida's future - promoting economic development and job growth, increasing the supply of affordable housing and helping our most vulnerable neighbors," said Noyes. "These resources are evidence of HUD's continuing commitment to provide communities with the resources they need to
meet the particular needs of their residents."

The funding announced today includes:

• $21,928,000 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds;
• $7,391,887 in Home Investment Partnerships (HOME) funding;
• $379,000 in Emergency Shelter Grant (ESG); and,
• $4,038,000 for Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA).

HUD's Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program enables state and local governments to target their
own economic development priorities. The rehabilitation of affordable housing has traditionally been the largest
single use of the grants although CDBG is also an important catalyst for job growth and business opportunities for lower income families and neighborhoods.

HOME (Home Investment Partnerships Program) is the largest federal block grant to state and local governments designed exclusively to create affordable housing for low-income households. Since 1992, nearly 700,000 affordable housing units have been acquired, constructed or rehabilitated and nearly 70,000 tenants have received direct
rental assistance. In addition, more than 200,000 new homebuyers have received assistance to purchase their first homes through the HOME program.

Emergency Shelter Grants (ESG) help communities meet the basic shelter needs of homeless individuals and
families. Part of HUD's award-winning Continuum of Care initiative, these grants also provide transitional housing
and a variety of support services designed to move the homeless away from a life on the street toward permanent housing.

HUD's Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) grants are distributed based on the number of AIDS cases reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The grants provide rental assistance and
support services to individuals with HIV/AIDS and their families. In addition, the HOPWA program also helps many communities develop strategic AIDS housing plans and fill in gaps in local systems of care.

Community Development and Housing Funds announced today:

HUD's block grant programs are distributed by formula around the country based on criteria including population, income levels, poverty rates and age of housing stock.

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

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