BATON ROUGE, TALLULAH AND BOGALUSA RECEIVE $1.2 MILLION IN HUD GRANTS FOR YOUTH SKILLS AND LEADERSHIP TRAINING

NEW ORLEANS - Ninety-two young Louisiana people who never finished high school will get a second chance to receive their diplomas because of $1.2 million in grants announced today by Housing and Urban Development Secretary Alphonso Jackson. The grants are part of $54 million HUD is awarding through its Youthbuild Program to offer job training and leadership skills to young people while putting them back on a path toward graduation. A list
of the grantees and amounts follow.

These grants will help train them for a future in the construction trades while producing more than 50 homes for
lower income families, many facing homelessness.

"This funding will offer hope and opportunity to young men and women across the country," said Jackson.
"Youthbuild enables them to return to the classroom, acquire construction skills and put their minds and hands
to work producing more affordable housing in their own communities."

Young people who enroll in local Youthbuild programs lack high school diplomas and the job skills necessary to find meaningful employment. The funding announced today will help young men and women, ages 16-to-24, to receive their high school equivalency diplomas and provide them training in homebuilding skills that will qualify them for
careers in the building industry.

Program participants will receive on-the-job training in the building trades and help build and renovate homes that
are then sold at affordable prices to low- and very low-income persons as well as homeless individuals and families.
In addition, these grants are anticipated to generate millions of additional dollars from other public and private sources.

HUD is the nation's housing agency committed to increasing homeownership, particularly among minorities; 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 as
well as enforces the nation's fair housing laws. More information about HUD and its programs is available on the Internet and espanol.hud.gov.

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Louisiana Youthbuild Grants

Louisiana Technical College - Sullivan Campus will use its $400,000 Youthbuild grant to train 36 youth and construct two housing units. Major partners include Washington Parish Habitat for Humanity.

Louisiana Technical College - Tallulah will use its $400,000 Youthbuild grant to train 36 youth and construct two houses in the Northeast Louisiana Delta Enterprise Community. Major partners include: the Madison Parish Police
Jury; and the Macon Ridge Economic Development Region, Inc.

Housing Authority of East Baton Rouge will use its $400,000 Youthbuild grant to train 20 youth and construct 48 houses. Major partners include: George Jenne Contractor; Adult and Continuing Education Department of East Baton Rouge Parish; Workforce Investment Administration; Area 21; and the Mayor's office.