HUD No. 08-004 Patricia Hoban-Moore (404) 331-5001 ext. 2776 |
For
Release Wednesday March 19, 2008 |
HUD ANNOUNCES $45 MILLION FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT IN MISSISSIPPI
JACKSON - U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Alphonso Jackson today announced the State of Mississippi will receive more than $45 million to support community development and produce more affordable housing in Mississippi. HUD's annual funding will also provide downpayment assistance to first-time homebuyers; assist individuals and families who might otherwise be living on the streets; and offer real housing solutions for individuals with HIV/AIDS.
"This funding will help Mississippi to rebuild its neighborhoods and affordable housing stock," said Jackson. "By helping communities to improve their infrastructure or assisting families to purchase their first home, HUD is helping improve neighborhoods from the ground up."
The funding announced today includes:
- $ 29,751,893 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds;
- $ 13,606,255 in HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME) funding;
- $ 75,065 in American Dream Downpayment assistance;
- $ 1,419,924 in Emergency Shelter Grant (ESG); and,
- $ 833,000 for Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA).
$45,686,137 TOTAL
Since 1974, HUD's Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program has provided more than $120 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 834,000 affordable housing units, including 352,000 for new homebuyers. In addition, 186,000 tenants have received direct rental assistance.
The American Dream Downpayment Initiative (ADDI) helps first-time homebuyers with the biggest hurdles to homeownership - downpayment and closing costs. The program was created to assist low-income first-time homebuyers in purchasing single-family homes by providing funds for downpayment, closing costs, and rehabilitation carried out in conjunction with the assisted home purchase. Since the program's inception, ADDI has assisted nearly 29,000 families to purchase their first home.
Emergency Shelter Grants (ESG) help local communities to meet the basic shelter needs of homeless individuals and families. These grants also provide transitional housing and a variety of support services designed to move the homeless away from a life on the street toward permanent housing. This block grant program, along with more than $14 million HUD awarded New Orleans and Jefferson Parish by competition, helps thousands of local homeless assistance programs to help those who would otherwise be living on the streets.
HUD's Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) grants are distributed to states and cities based on the
number of AIDS cases reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The grants provide resources for operating community
residences and providing rental assistance and support services to individuals with HIV/AIDS
and their families. In addition, the HOPWA
program also helps many communities develop strategic AIDS housing
plans and fill in gaps in local systems of care. A stable home
environment is a critical component for low-income persons managing complex drug therapies and potential side effects from their treatments.
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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 and enforces the nation's fair housing laws. More information about HUD and its
programs is available on the Internet
and espanol.hud.gov.
For further information, contact Cassandra Terry at (601) 608-1700.