HUD AWARDS MORE THAN $800,000 IN CHOICE NEIGHBORHOODS PLANNING GRANTS TO THREE OHIO COMMUNITIES
Cincinnati, Cleveland and Columbus among 13 communities nationwide awarded grants to begin grassroots efforts to revitalize housing, communities

COLUMBUS, OHIO - U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing, Sandra B. Henriquez joined Charles Hillman, Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority in Columbus, Ohio today to announce that three Ohio communities will receive Choice Neighborhoods Planning Grants. Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority in Cleveland and Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority will each receive $300,000 and Cincinnati Housing Authority will receive more than $200,000. These three Ohio cities are among 13 cities nationwide receiving this funding to begin a grassroots effort to revitalize distressed public housing developments and transform the surrounding neighborhood. (See attached list and project summary for all of the grantees.)

"All across the country, local planners are serious about rolling up their sleeves to transform distressed neighborhoods into choice neighborhoods," said Henriquez. "These communities can now begin the comprehensive planning needed to turn distressed housing and long-neglected neighborhoods, into viable and sustainable mixed-income communities that support positive outcome for families."

"The fact that we can predict health, economic, and educational outcomes of children based on zip code is nothing less than a tragedy. And it's not who we are as Americans," said Antonio R. Riley, HUD's Midwest Regional Administrator. "And we know transforming housing, improving schools, and spurring economic development is most effective when local institutions in the public and private sectors can align their resources, break down barriers and cut through the red tape. That's why these grants are so important to our future."

Building on nearly 20 years of success through HUD's HOPE VI Program, Choice Neighborhoods links housing improvements with a wider variety of public services including schools, public transit and employment opportunities. The program is a centerpiece of the Obama Administration's interagency Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative (http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/oua/initiatives/neighborhood-revitalization), collaboration between HUD and the Departments of Education, Justice, Treasury and Health and Human Services. With support from the White House Domestic Policy Council and White House Office of Urban Affairs, the interagency partnership supports local solutions for sustainable, mixed-income neighborhoods with the affordable housing, safe streets and good schools all families need.

As a result of partnerships like these, the Obama Administration is making it easier for local leaders who are working to redevelop neighborhoods to also access support for cradle-to-career educational programs through the Education Department's Promise Neighborhoods initiative, public safety strategies through the Justice Department, and community health center improvements through the Department of Health and Human Services.

HUD received 71 submissions for FY 2011 Choice Neighborhoods Planning Grants from communities across the U.S. Successful applicants demonstrated their intent to transform neighborhoods while leveraging outside investments and other federal dollars to plan for high-quality public schools, outstanding education and early learning programs, public assets, public transportation, and improved access to jobs and well-functioning services. HUD is focused on directing resources to address three core goals - housing, people and neighborhoods.

The communities awarded the planning grants announced today will build the capacity needed to undertake a successful neighborhood transformation and create a choice neighborhood. These grants enable communities to create a comprehensive Transformation Plan, or road map, to transform distressed public and/or assisted housing within a distressed community. This Federal support provides a significant incentive for the local community to take critical steps to create viable neighborhood transformation.

Recently, HUD announced Partner.HUD.gov, an innovative online platform to spotlight comprehensive information about grantees and top-tier applicants with the hope that others will consider providing resources. This web portal is intended to provide information funders and other local stakeholders can use to support applications that HUD deemed promising, but was unable to fund. The site also offers communities greater access to similar work happening around the country and provides best-practice models that might help shape their efforts. Today's 2011 Choice Neighborhoods Planning Grant recipients and the eight competitive runners-up, will be featured on Partner.HUD.gov next week.

Congress approved the Choice Neighborhoods Initiative with the passage of HUD's FY 2010 budget, and in FY 2011 authorized HUD to use $65 million to provide competitive grants to assist in the transformation, rehabilitation and preservation of public housing and privately owned HUD-assisted housing. Congress recently appropriated $120 million for FY 2012. Choice Neighborhoods builds on the successes and lessons of HUD's HOPE VI program and widens the traditional pool of eligible applicants beyond public housing authorities to include local governments, nonprofit organizations, and for-profit developers (who apply jointly with a public entity).

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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.

FY 2011 Choice Neighborhood Planning Grantees