HUD AWARDS COEUR D'ALENE TRIBAL HOUSING AUTHORITY $500,000 COMPETITIVE GRANT TO IMPROVE HOUSING AND SPUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

BOISE, IDAHO - The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development competitively awarded a $500,000 Indian Community Development Block Grant to the Coeur d'Alene Tribal Housing Authority in Plummer, Idaho. The Tribe intends to use the grant to rehabilitate 35 rental homes, including upgrades to code, alleviation of mold problems and energy upgrades.

The award to the Coeur d'Alene Tribal Housing Authority was one of 50 competitive grants to tribes and Alaska native villages totaling $33,637,343 announced by HUD today. Established in 1977, the ICDBG program supports a wide variety of community development and affordable housing activities. Federally recognized Indian tribes, bands, groups or nations (including Alaska Indian, Aleuts and Eskimo) or Alaska Native villages compete for this funding.

"This funding helps our country's Native American and Alaska Native communities improve the living conditions for hard-working families who need the most help," said HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan. "This is an investment to
promote neighborhood development, produce affordable housing, and help create much-needed jobs."

"This funding is as critical to meeting the needs of these communities as they would be in a large, urban center" said HUD Northwest Regional Administrator Mary McBride. "We look forward to working with these Coeur d'Alene tribal housing authority as it continues to move forward in meeting the unique challenges and circumstances its community faces."

The recipients will use the funding to develop viable communities, including rehabilitating housing or building new housing or to buy land to support new housing construction. The funding can also used to build infrastructure such as roads, water and sewer facilities, to create suitable living environments. To spur economic development, recipients use the grants to establish a wide variety of commercial, industrial and agricultural projects. Recipients have used the funding to build community and health centers, or to start businesses to support the community, such as shopping centers, manufacturing plants, restaurants or convenient stores/gas stations.

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HUD's mission is to create strong, sustainable, inclusive communities and quality affordable homes for all. HUD is working to strengthen the housing market to bolster the economy and protect consumers; meet the need for quality affordable rental homes: utilize housing as a platform for improving quality of life; build inclusive and sustainable communities free from discrimination; and transform the way HUD does business. More information about HUD and its programs is available on the Internet at www.hud.gov and espanol.hud.gov.