HUD ANNOUNCES GRANTS TO GIVE PUBLIC HOUSING RESIDENTS GREATER ACCESS TO COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY
Computer centers located in all five boroughs

NEW YORK - The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development awarded the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) $400,000 in grants today that will give local public housing residents greater access to computer
technology. The funding is from HUD's Public Housing Neighborhood Networks Program.

"These grants provide the tools public housing residents need on their way to self-sufficiency," said HUD Assistant Secretary Michael Liu. "The computer centers these grants create or enhance give residents computer access,
which encourages job-training that leads to employment."

Housing authorities use Neighborhood Networks (NN) funding to establish, expand or update community technology centers. Neighborhood Networks centers provide access to computers, computer training and the Internet. NN centers can also provide a range of services to help residents achieve long-term economic self-sufficiency. PHAs
may also use the funding to hire staff to manage center activities, purchase equipment, and provide computer, literacy and job training.

Neighborhood Network centers are located in the Bronx at Butler and Soundview Houses; in Manhattan at Wilson
and Rangel Houses; in Brooklyn at Sheepshead and Bushwick Houses; in Queens at South Jamaica and Ravenswood Houses; and, in Staten Island at South Beach and Todt Hill Houses.

NYCHA plans to provide support services to 600 eligible public housing residents. The grant will provide access to computers and technology-based educational activities for guidance and preparatory programming for post
secondary education, literacy training, GED preparation, computer preparatory courses, goal setting, life skills and
job training. NYCHA also plans to partner with the Future Kids agency.

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.

###