BUSH ADMINISTRATION DELIVERS $1.3 MILLION IN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND HOUSING FUNDS FOR ALEXANDRIA, LOUISIANA

NEW ORLEANS - Housing and Urban Development Secretary Mel Martinez today announced the City of Alexandria, Louisiana will receive $1,300,936 in federal assistance to stimulate its economy and produce affordable housing.

"The funding we announce today is an investment to promote economic development and job growth, increase the supply of affordable housing and help our most vulnerable neighbors," said Martinez. "These resources are evidence
of our continuing commitment to provide communities with the resources they need to meet the particular needs of their residents."

The funding announced today includes:

• $828,000 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds; and,
• $472,936 in Home Investment Partnerships (HOME) funding.

HUD's Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program enables state and local governments to target their
own economic development priorities. The rehabilitation of affordable housing has traditionally been the largest
single use of the grants although CDBG is also an important catalyst for job growth and business opportunities for lower income families and neighborhoods.

HOME (Home Investment Partnerships Program) is the largest federal block grant to state and local governments designed exclusively to create affordable housing for low-income households. Since 1992, nearly 700,000 affordable housing units have been acquired, constructed or rehabilitated and nearly 70,000 tenants have received direct
rental assistance. In addition, more than 200,000 new homebuyers have received assistance to purchase their first homes through the HOME program.

HUD's block grant programs are distributed by formula around the country based on criteria including population, income levels, poverty rates and age of housing stock.

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.

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Note to editors: Communities that choose to receive their block grants at other times of the year are not
included in today's announcement.