HUD ANNOUNCES $18.5 MILLION IN RECOVERY ACT GRANTS TO ADD AFFORDABLE RENTAL HOUSING, AND TO "GREEN" EXISTING PUBLIC HOUSING IN MASSACHUSETTS
Grants will increase energy efficiency, upgrade public housing and create jobs

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan awarded more than $18.5 million in competitive grants today that will allow public housing authorities in Massachusetts to make existing public housing units more energy efficient. The funding is part of $500 million in Public Housing Capital Funds being awarded nationwide today through The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act). (A list of grants awarded today in Massachusetts can be found below.)

Funding is being awarded to 134 housing authorities nationwide, including four in Massachusetts, to create energy efficient communities by rehabilitating existing public housing units. The agencies will have resources to install new energy efficient technologies to conserve energy, such as Energy Star appliances, high-efficiency boilers/furnaces and programmable thermostats or controls.

In addition, 35 housing authorities nationwide (none in Massachusetts) will receive funds that will allow them to proceed with redevelopment or replacement of housing developments that were stalled because of a lack of private financing. This funding essentially fills the gap in private capital to allow work to continue.

"The grants being awarded today should give hope to families across the country that more affordable housing opportunities are on the way," said Donovan. "This Recovery Act funding will not only give housing authorities the resources they need to jump start production of affordable housing, but it will also reduce energy costs and
mitigate negative environmental impacts, while creating much-needed 'green' jobs across the country."

In February, just eight days after President Obama signed the Recovery Act into law, HUD allocated nearly $3 billion
in Recovery Act funding to more than 3,100 public housing authorities across the U.S. Distributed by formula, that funding is already being put to work to improve public housing and create safer, more livable environments for lower income residents.

The funding being announced today is part of an additional $1 billion in Public Housing Capital Funds designated by
the Recovery Act to be awarded competitively. HUD accepted applications under this program from public housing authorities between June 22 and August 18. Grants under the program are now being awarded to public housing authorities under the following four funding categories:

Category 1 - Improvements Addressing the Needs of the Elderly and/or Persons with Disabilities: $95 million will soon be awarded to improve public housing units and create community facilities for the delivery of supportive services to this vulnerable population.

Category 2 - Public Housing Transformation: $96 million out of $100 million was awarded on September 3 to transform public housing developments that are distressed and a blighting influence on the surrounding community into newly built or renovated developments.

Category 3 - Gap Financing for Projects that are Stalled Due to Financing: $200 million is being awarded today (none in Massachusetts) to allow housing authorities to develop or renovate public housing projects stalled due to lack of resources.

Category 4 - Creation of Energy Efficient, Green Communities: $600 million is being awarded for public housing authorities to create more energy efficient public housing units. Applications were due for this category on July 21, 2009. Within this category, applicants could apply under Option 1 for substantial rehabilitation or new construction or Option 2 for moderate rehabilitation. The grants awarded today are under Option 2. Option 1 of this category was awarded on September 18.

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