HUD ANNOUNCES $6.8 MILLION FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT IN JEFFERSON PARISH AND KENNER

NEW ORLEANS - U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan today announced that Jefferson Parish and Kenner will receive a total of $6,888,363 to support community development and produce more
affordable housing. HUD's annual funding will also provide downpayment assistance to first-time homebuyers and
help individuals and families who might otherwise be living on the streets. A list of the amounts for each program follows.

"This funding represents HUD's continuing investment in helping our local partners improve their communities," said Donovan. "If we hope to lay the groundwork for sustainable growth and prosperity in the future, it's critical that we help state and local communities to make the needed improvements and to produce more affordable housing."

The funding announced today includes:

• $ 4,263,576 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds;
• $ 2,467,285 in HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME) funding; and
• $    157,502 in Emergency Shelter Grant (ESG) funding.
• $6,888,363 TOTAL

Since 1974, HUD's Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program has provided approximately $124 billion to state and local governments to target their own community development priorities. The rehabilitation of affordable housing and the improvement of public facilities have traditionally been the largest uses of CDBG although the
program is also an important catalyst for job growth and business opportunities. Annual CDBG funds are distributed
to communities according to a statutory formula based on a community's population, poverty, and age of its housing stock, and extent of overcrowded housing.

HOME (HOME Investment Partnerships Program) is the largest federal block grant to state and local governments designed exclusively to produce affordable housing for low-income families. Since 1992, more than 600 communities have completed more than 900,000 affordable housing units, including 383,000 for new homebuyers. In addition, 209,000 tenants have received direct rental assistance.

Emergency Shelter Grants (ESG) provides homeless persons with basic shelter and essential supportive services.
It can assist with the operational costs of the shelter facility, and for the administration of the grant. ESG also provides short-term homeless prevention assistance to persons at imminent risk of losing their own housing due to eviction, foreclosure, or utility shutoffs.

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