HOPE VI Demolition Grants to Go to Chicago and Petersburg

Illinois largest Housing Authority, Chicago, and one of its smaller authorities, Menard County in Petersburg, have been awarded HOPE VI grants to demolish dilapidated public housing.

In Chicago, a $4,803,000 grant for Cabrini Extension South will demolish 597 older public housing units and a $4,197,000 grant for Green Homes will demolish 566 units. In Petersburg, a $183,963 grant will demolish 27 older public housing units.

HOPE VI Demolition grants assist public housing authorities (PHAs) to demolish severely distressed public housing and provide relocation and other supportive services for residents.

"These grants will allow Chicago and Petersburg to remove these eyesores and be the impetus to improve the site and surrounding neighborhood," said HUD Secretary Mel Martinez.

The two Illinois Housing Authorities were selected from among 102 applications HUD received for the 2002 HOPE VI Demolition funding. The 102 grant applications came from 62 PHAs, as housing authorities can apply for multiple grants under this program. The 2002 grants will fund the demolition of more than 5,700 older public housing units around the Nation.

Not including the current grants, HUD has awarded 177 grants to 90 housing authorities in 31 states, the District of Columbia and the Virgin Islands - totaling more than $293 million to demolish more than 44,000 severely distressed public housing units.