BUSH ADMINISTRATION ANNOUNCES $2.2 MILLION TO HAWAII AND
ALASKA UNIVERSITIES TO SPUR LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
HUD Assistant Secretary Liu Awards $1.8 Million to Hawaii Institutions

HONOLULU - Housing and Urban Development Assistant Secretary Michael Liu announced today $2,164,497 million
in grants to Native Hawaiian and Alaskan universities to give them the resources they need to address economic development needs in their communities.

"These grants will help these local institutions improve housing, spur economic development, create jobs and
revitalize neighborhoods for their most needy citizens," said Liu who spoke at the first conference of the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement being held at the Sheraton Waikiki Hotel through Saturday.

The three Hawaiian universities to receive $1,769,497 million in funding are:

• The University of Hawaii - Leeward Community College $579,586
  
• The University of Hawaii - West Oahu Campus $599,875
  
• The University of Hawaii - Windward Community College $590,036

HUD's Alaska Native/Native Hawaiian Institutions Assisting Communities Program grants, first awarded in 2000, gives colleges and universities additional resources to expand their role and effectiveness in dealing with community development needs in the areas they are located.

The receiving institutions can use the funding to do several activities related to neighborhood revitalization including
- acquisition of real property, clearance and demolition, rehabilitation of residential and commercial buildings, direct homeownership assistance to low- and moderate-income persons, eligible public service activities, establishment of Community Development Corporations (CDC).

Specifically, the Hawaiian universities will use the grants in this way:

The University of Hawaii - Leeward Community College
The University of Hawaii - Leeward Community College in Pearl City, Hawaii will utilize the grant to support and
sustain the two-year Waianae Organic Agriculture Initiative (WOAI). The WOAI will improve the Waianae's food security - in the predominately Native Hawaiian community residing in and along the Waianae Coast of Oahu. The school will acquire land and buildings, establish the Waianae Organic Agricultural Center, and develop a curriculum, specifically a Microenterprise Training Program.

The University of Hawaii - West Oahu Campus
The University of Hawaii - West Oahu Campus will help the university create the Hana Marketplace. Hana is a
remote community of about 2,000 residents located on the western coast of Maui. Each year some 500,000 tourists visit the scenic town. Working with the Hawaii Alliance for Community-Based Economic Development, Lokahi Pacific, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, and Hina-malailena, the University of Hawaii - West Oahu will make the most its tourist population by creating this new marketplace. The Hana Marketplace will provide commercial space for resident-
owned small business, create new job opportunities, offer training in entrepreneurial enterprises and computer applications to business management, and encourage the startup and incubation of local companies by getting their operations online through computer technology training.

The University of Hawaii - Windward Community College
The University of Hawaii - Windward Community College will use its grant for a community development project. Together with the Housing and Community Development Corporation of Hawaii, they will begin the HOPE VI Phase I redevelopment and revitalization of Kuhio Park Terrace in the older, low- to moderate-income neighborhood of Kalihi-Palama. A 50,000 square foot Community Resource Center will be constructed which will become home to various community service agencies. Selected agencies include Parents and Children Together (PACT) which will play an instrumental role in providing life skills, jobs and micro enterprise training programs while the University of Hawaii's Employment Training Center will operate a fully operational training kitchen and food service area for residents.

In addition to the Hawaiian universities, the University of Alaska at Fairbanks will receive $395,000 and will use its grant to partner with the Northwest Arctic Borough to construct an artist's shop and retail store. The Sulainich
Arts Center will benefit the residents of Kotzebue and Inupiaq Eskimo community located 30 miles above the Arctic Circle. The Centers will house a local art cooperative that will offer members the opportunity to build individual
micro-businesses and make a living by creating traditional arts and crafts in a safe environment. The grant will also
provide a positive alternative for the high rate of individuals engaged in drug and alcohol addiction.

Liu, who heads HUD's Office of Public and Indian Housing and a Native Hawaiian, also told conference attendees
that the $9.6 million in Native Hawaiian Housing Block Grant Program funding he previously announced is now
available to use. This funding, announced during HUD's National Homeownership Month in June, allows Native Hawaiians to have access to Federal housing block grant funds appropriated solely for the benefit of Native
Hawaiians eligible to live on Hawaiian Home Lands. The funding is similar to that that has been available to American Indians and Alaska Natives since 1996. These block grant funds this year will help the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands fund affordable housing activities. Another $10 million is included in HUD's fiscal year 2003 budget with the potential for more funding at higher levels in the future.

Liu also told the group HUD was creating a new permanent position for a Native Hawaiian Specialist who would be based in HUD's Honolulu Field Office. This individual would be part of HUD's Office of Native American Programs and focus specifically on Native Hawaiian Programs such as the Native Hawaiian Block Grant and the Native Hawaiian
Loan Guarantee Program.

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 at www.hud.gov.

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