HUD AWARDS $1.1 MILLION HOPE VI GRANT TO JACKSON TO DEMOLISH DISTRESSED PUBLIC HOUSING
Demolition Makes Way for Community Revitalization

JACKSON - The U.S. Department of Housing Urban Development today awarded a $1,194,922 HOPE VI Demolition grant to the Jackson Housing Authority that will be used to demolish 184 aged public housing at Whiterock Homes.

"I was part of the Congressionally-appointed commission that created the HOPE VI program a little more than 10
years ago," said HUD Secretary Alphonso Jackson. "I'm pleased that Jackson is one of the 45 cities that will get funding this year to demolish these old properties to make way for community revitalization."

Jackson Housing Authority was selected from a pool of 57 applications HUD received for the 2003 HOPE VI Demolition funding. The $45,810,291 in grants awarded to 45 housing authorities for this grant round will fund the demolition of 5,954 older public housing units.

Since the HOPE VI Demolition program began in 1996 and including the grants awarded today, HUD has awarded 263 grants to 122 housing authorities in 32 states, the District of Columbia and the Virgin Islands. Including the grants awarded today, housing authorities have received more than $381 million in HOPE VI Demolition grants to demolish nearly 56,000 severely distressed public housing units.

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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