HUD SE Regional Administrator Wraps Up Multi-State Tour

Visits Commonwealth of Kentucky, hosts Secretary Ben Carson tour of Atlanta and accompanies Secretary to Spartanburg, SC

ATLANTA - U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Southeast Regional Administrator Denise Cleveland-Leggett completed a multi-state tour that included visits to the Commonwealth of Kentucky, hosting Secretary Ben Carson's visit to the City of Atlanta and accompanying the Secretary most recently to Spartanburg, South Carolina.

"Reaching out to communities throughout the Southeast is essential to better understanding the challenges they are facing, strengthening our relationship with community leaders and also those we serve," said Cleveland-Leggett. "During my recent visit to Kentucky and while accompanying Secretary Carson in Atlanta and Spartanburg, I was able to observe first-hand how communities are innovatively addressing self-sufficiency and leveraging public and private partnerships with regards to economic development and opportunity."

During a recent visit to Kentucky, Cleveland-Leggett toured One Parent Scholar House in Lexington. At One Parent Scholar House, single parents are given the tools that they need to get a college degree. Housing is provided through HUD Housing Choice Voucher assistance and there is on-site day care and development classes for their children. Plus, support is provided by staff and community neighbors.

"It was such a joy to spend time with the children who are reaping the benefits of this holistic program," said Cleveland-Leggett. "This model is excellent for single parent families to gain not only educational opportunities, but lifelong self-sufficiency."

Visits in Atlanta with the Secretary Carson were highlighted by opportunities to observe the innovative approaches to educational opportunities for low income area students in the high achieving Drew Charter Schools in East Lake, meeting with the Westside Future Fund Committee regarding neighborhood revitalization through private and public partnerships and touring the Imperial Hotel for senior homeless housing and City Lights mixed income community housing.

The Spartanburg, SC visit was highlighted by a tour of the Northside Initiative, a series of public-private programs developed in an area once recognized for its lack of fresh fruit and vegetables for sale. Neighborhood revitalization efforts in recent years included a new food hub - Harvest Park, with a farmer's market, culinary job training program and café. The tour also included the Meeting Street Academy, a public-private elementary charter school venture for under-resourced children that includes an extended school day, community service programs and an on-site medical clinic

The HUD Region IV Office is located in Atlanta, and serves Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee Puerto Rico and US Virgin Islands.

###