BUSH ADMINISTRATION ANNOUNCES OVER $1 MILLION TO STIMULATE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND HOUSING IN ROME
HUD grants targeted to lower income persons and families in need

NEW YORK - The City of Rome will receive over $1 million in funding from the Department of Housing and Urban Development to stimulate its economy and produce affordable housing. HUD Secretary Alphonso Jackson said the funding represents another investment in improving the living conditions for Rome's lower income families.

"This funding will help build better communities from the ground up," said Jackson. "Whether it's assisting
communities to improve their infrastructure or helping first-time homebuyers to realize their 'American Dream,' HUD
is helping neighborhoods become better places to live and work."

The funding announced today includes:

• $1,230,656 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds.

For the past 30 years, HUD's Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program has awarded over $100 billion
to state and local governments to target their own community development priorities. CDBG is one of HUD's oldest
and most popular programs. The rehabilitation of affordable housing has traditionally been the largest single use of
the grants although CDBG is also an important catalyst for job growth and business opportunities. CDBG funds are distributed by formula around the country based on a community's population, income levels, poverty rates and the age of its housing stock.

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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