HUD NAMES LIAISON FOR COMMUNITY AND FAITH-BASED ORGANIZATIONS IN GREAT PLAINS REGION

KANSAS CITY, KS - Housing and Urban Development Regional Director Macie Houston today announced Deana Ervin will serve as the Department's principle liaison to community- and faith-based organizations in HUD's four-state Great Plains Region.

Ervin will act as HUD's primary point of contact with faith-based and community groups seeking information,
technical assistance and funding opportunities in Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska. Deana has been with HUD's Kansas Missouri State Office for over three years assisting local governments and community-based organizations in the areas of economic development, neighborhood revitalization and affordable housing opportunities. She is a former Director of the Business and Technology Center at Donnelly College and has worked with several organizations including the Texas State Auditors Office and the Greater Kansas City Community Foundation. Deana received a Bachelor's in Business Administration in Accounting from Prairie View A&M University and an MBA and MPA from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Representatives from approximately 70 local faith-based organizations attended the meeting to learn about Federal programs and resources.

Ms. Ervin addressing a HUD sponsored faith-based community meeting in Kansas City, Missouri. Representatives from approximately 70 local faith-based organizations attended the meeting to learn about Federal programs and resources.

"Deana will be an indispensable resource to these organizations as we seek to facilitate their participation in HUD's mission of providing critically needed housing and other services to people in need, " said Macie Houston. "This is just one more way we can level the playing field for smaller faith-based and community groups who are doing so much good at the grassroots level."

Ervin said, "I'm thrilled to be HUD's liaison to these community and faith-based groups. I'm hopeful I can help continue to break down the barriers that may prevent the full inclusion of these important organizations in the Department's work in their neighborhoods."

Shortly after taking office, President Bush established Centers for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives in five major cabinet agencies, including HUD, to evaluate policies, funding programs, and agency outreach efforts to ensure that they emphasize effectiveness and hospitality to faith-based and community-based organizations. HUD Secretary Martinez directed a top-to-bottom review of all HUD programs to identify barriers to
the participation of community- and faith-based organizations. As a result, HUD is working to remove these barriers and reach out to the faith community and other grassroots organizations that are uniquely positioned to more effectively provide social services to low-income Americans.

Last month, Martinez released a bilingual "how-to guide" to help faith-based organizations encourage homeownership opportunities, particularly among minority families who continue to lag behind historic homeownership rates. Ten Things Your Faith Community Can Do To Encourage Homeownership offers faith-based grassroots organizations an easy-to-read guide to promoting homeownership in their communities. Earlier this year, Martinez also issued guidance to approximately 3,200 local public housing agencies granting them the authority to institute "an open door policy"
for faith-based organizations to provide social services to public housing residents.

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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