KY 09-015 Deborah Knight (502) 618-8129 |
For Release Wednesday September 2, 2009 |
HUD AWARDS $2.25 MILLION FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN RURAL KENTUCKY
Grants designed to create jobs & affordable housing in London, Hazard, Irvine, Beattyville, Barbourville, Richmond, and Booneville
LOUISVILLE, KY - U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan today awarded $2,250,000 to
eight rural housing programs in Kentucky to stimulate economic development, create jobs and produce more
affordable housing. The funding is provided through HUD's Rural Housing and Economic Development Program. The grants announced today are part of $25 million HUD is awarding to 85 rural housing programs throughout the
country.
"These grants will create jobs and produce critically needed affordable housing throughout rural areas of our country that are desperate for both," said Donovan. "We are committed to an economic recovery that is sustainable and reaches every corner of our country, including rural communities that are so important to our nation's economic health."
Kentucky Highlands Investment Corporation in London, Kentucky, will receive a Rural Housing and Economic Development Innovative grant award in the amount of $300,000. This Innovative award will provide support for the design and construction of 2 Zero Energy Homes of the Phase II. A total of 15 youth will be trained in the areas of in green building technology, architectural, engineering, homeownership training, and business ventures for low- and moderate- income families. Partners involved in this project include Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Jellico Electric and Water System, Southern Kentucky Community and Technical College, and Southern Tier Housing Corporation. The proposed leveraging for this project is $151,000.
Contact Person: Jerry Rickett
362 Old Whitley Road, P.O. Box 1738
London, KY 40743-1738
Telephone Number: (606) 864-5175Young Adult Development in Action, Inc. dba Youthbuild Hazard in Louisville, Kentucky, will receive a Rural Housing and Economic Development Innovative grant award in the amount of $300,000. This Innovative award will provide support for the construction and rehabilitation of 2 affordable homes in Breathitt County and construction training. Other project activities that will be impacted by these funds include: job placement, energy efficient and design initiatives and IDA accounts for the low income youth between the ages of 16-24. Partners involved in this project include Youthbuild Hazard, East Kentucky Cabinet for Families and Children, Kentucky Housing Corporation, Breathitt City Life Skills Center, KRADD, Kentucky Development Alliance, and Breathitt County Adult Education Center. The proposed leveraging for this project is $282,737.
Contact Person: Della M. Howard
800 W. Chestnut Street, Room 104, P.O. Box 638
Louisville, KY 40201-0638
Telephone Number: (606) 693-9393West Care Kentucky, Inc. in Irvine, Kentucky, will received a Rural Housing and Economic Development Innovative grant award in the amount of $300,000. This Innovative award will provide assistance for the construction of 4 units for the Housing First/Sober Living project which includes transitional and permanent housing. Other supportive services such as counseling, job training and job placement, financial literacy, educational classes in the Estill County for low income homeless residents will also be provided as a result of RHED funds. Partners involved in this project include Marcum & Wallace Memorial Hospital, Home Store & More, Estill County Fiscal Court, Christian Worship Center, Estill Art Council, Westcare Sober Living Apartments, Narcotic Anonymous, Irvine City Council, PADD, Estill County Schools. The proposed leveraging for this project is $184,760.00.
Contact Person: Ms. Renee Alexander
108 Main Street
Irvine, KY 40336
Telephone Number: (606) 726-0385Beattyville Housing and Development Corporation, Inc. in Beattyville, Kentucky, will receive a Rural Housing and Economic Development Innovative grant award in the amount of $150,000. This Innovative award will assist the applicant in constructing 9 affordable single family houses with new energy efficient green- building techniques. The project will provide residents with homeownership counseling, education, create job opportunities and assist with their down payment and mortgage to low income individuals in Owsley and Wolfe counties of Kentucky. The primary partner working with this project will include Kentucky Highlands Investment Corporation and EKU College of Business and Technology. The proposed leveraging for this project is $75,000.
Contact Person: Wilma Kelley
57 Main Street, P.O. Box 307
Beattyville, KY 41311
Telephone Number: (606) 464-5031The Housing Development Alliance in Hazard, Kentucky, will receive a Rural Housing and Economic Development Innovative grant award in the amount of $300,000. This Innovative award will provide demolition to 10 houses and the construction of 10 energy efficient universal star certified green designed homes in the counties of Hazard, Hyden, Hindman, and Jackson. This project will provide opportunities in the areas of homeownership counseling, acquisition of land, job training and hands on training in the constructions trade along with financial literacy of mortgage loans for low income individuals. Partners working with this project will be Hazard-Perry County Community Ministries, Kentucky Housing Corporation, Kentucky River Senior Citizens Center and Kentucky Mountain Health Alliance. The proposed leveraging for this project is $150,000.
Contact Person: Russell Scott
P.O. Box 7284
Hazard, KY 41702
Telephone Number: (606) 436-0497KCEOC Community Action Partnership, Inc. in Barbourville, Kentucky, will receive a Rural Housing and Economic Development Innovative grant award in the amount of $300,000. This Innovative award will provide support for creating rental housing in the Old Corbin Hospital property for residents in the Knox and Whitley counties. The project will provide support for an architectural and engineering feasibility review under the LEED/Energy Star Planning, marketing, energy star and green compliance star standard. These RHED funds will be used to create 25 jobs as well as the expand existing businesses, construct 70 low to moderate income rental housing units, and create retail space for entrepreneurial opportunities for the residents of southeastern Kentucky. Partners working with this project will include Section 202 Housing, Community Housing Development Organization (CHDO), Low Income Heating Assistance Program (LIHEAP), Weatherization Program, Head Start, Early Start, Child Development, Homeless Program and Winter Care Utility program. The proposed leveraging for this project is $420,000.
Contact Person: Paul Dole
P.O. Box 490
Barbourville, KY 40906
Telephone Number: (606) 546-3152Kentucky River Foothills Development Council in Richmond, Kentucky, will receive a Rural Housing and Economic Development Innovative grant award in the amount of $300,000. This Innovative award will provide assistance for the acquisition of 2 foreclosed homes and rehabilitation of 80 substandard homes. This project will provide revolving loans, expansion of the housing counseling program, accessible universal design, energy star efficient standards, business ventures, and create jobs to serve about 20 low income people in Estill and Powell counties. Partners involved in this project will be USDA Rural Development, Kentucky Housing Corporation and the Federal Home Loan Bank of Cincinnati. The proposed leveraging for this project is $ 156,000.
Contact Person: Vicki Jozefowicz
309 Spangler Drive
Richmond, VA 40475
Telephone: (859) 624-2046Partnership Housing, Inc. in Booneville, Kentucky, will receive a Rural Housing and Economic Development Innovative grant award in the amount of $300,000. This Innovative award will assist the applicant in the purchase of land that will be used to construct 3 energy efficient homes. The project will provide homeownership counseling, financial literacy, credit and budget counseling, create jobs for low income residents in the Owsley county area. Partners involved in this project will be Christian Appalachian Project, Owsley County Action Team, and Kentucky Housing Corporation. The proposed leveraging for this project is $78,210.
Contact Person: Joe Short
P.O. Box 997
Booneville, KY 41314
Telephone Number: (606) 593-7296
Rural Housing and Economic Development (RHED) grants support land acquisition, new home construction, housing demolition, infrastructure improvements and construction training. Other possible uses include homeownership and financial counseling; financial assistance to homeowners, businesses and developers; creating microenterprises and small business incubators; and establishing lines of credit or revolving loan pools to benefit the local business community.
Qualified applicants are local rural nonprofit organizations, community development corporations, federally recognized Indian tribes, State housing finance agencies and/or local economic development agencies. Since 1998, RHED grants have provided nearly $250 million, creating/training more than 41,000 jobs, assisting nearly 6,300 businesses and producing nearly 16,000 affordable homes.
Rural communities will use this funding as seed money to pay the start-up costs for housing or economic
development projects. These grants will also help organizations to hire and train their staffs, develop strategic plans and acquire office space and other needed facilities.
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HUD is the nation's housing agency committed to sustaining homeownership; creating affordable housing opportunities for low-income Americans; and supporting the homeless, elderly, people with disabilities and people living with AIDS. The Department also promotes economic and community development and enforces the nation's fair housing laws. More information about HUD and its programs is available on the Internet and espanol.hud.gov.