HUD AWARDS OVER $390,000 GRANT TO PROMOTE AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN NATIVE AMERICAN COMMUNITIES IN NORTH CAROLINA
Grants support critical projects in tribal areas to address housing, community development and jobs

GREENSBORO - The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development today awarded $390,370 to the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians of NC's tribal communities to improve housing conditions, promote community development and to spur local economies with construction projects and jobs in North Carolina. The competitive grants awarded are part of HUD's Indian Community Development Block Grant (ICDBG) Program that addresses a wide variety of community development and affordable housing activities for low to moderate-income families.

"These grants are a step forward in forging solutions to improve the housing and economic conditions for some of our country's most culturally rich neighborhoods," said HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan. "I'm impressed at the energy and creativity in how these communities are leveraging public funds to create lasting solutions for countless families."

"This grant invests in the continuing effort and commitment to provide viable and meaningful solutions for families to improve their housing and economic conditions," said HUD Southeast Regional Administrator Ed Jennings, Jr.

The funding North Carolina was awarded today is part of $56 million HUD announced today for tribal communities throughout the nation. The recipients will use these grants to develop viable communities, including rehabilitating housing, building new homes, or purchasing land to support new housing construction. The funding can also used to build infrastructure such as roads, water and sewer facilities. To stimulate economic development and job growth, recipients use the grants to establish commercial, industrial and agricultural projects. Recipients also use the funding to build community and health centers, or to start businesses to support the community including shopping centers, manufacturing plants, restaurants or convenience stores and gas stations. Specific examples of this sort of economic and community development include:

• The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians of NC will use its $390,370 grant to construct a 4,500 square foot children's home. The current facility is in desperate need of repair and it was found to be more cost effective to construct a new facility than repair the existing one. The new facility will increase capacity from 13 to 20 children in Cherokee who need a safe, stable home.

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HUD's mission is to create strong, sustainable, inclusive communities and quality affordable homes for all. HUD is working to strengthen the housing market to bolster the economy and protect consumers; meet the need for quality affordable rental homes: utilize housing as a platform for improving quality of life; build inclusive and sustainable communities free from discrimination; and transform the way HUD does business. More information about HUD and its programs is available on the Internet at www.hud.gov and espanol.hud.gov. You can also follow HUD on twitter @HUDnews, on facebook at www.facebook.com/HUD, or sign up for news alerts on HUD's News Listserv.