HUD ANNOUNCES $400,000 GRANT TO COMMUNITY SERVICES CONSORTIUM FOR YOUTHBUILD PROGRAM
At-Risk Youth To Get A New Start In Life While Building Affordable Housing

PORTLAND - Approximately 20 low-income young people in Linn County will return to school and begin new careers
in the homebuilding trades because of a $400,000 YouthBuild grant announced by the U.S. Housing and Urban Development. The grant will enable Community Services Consortium to continue its successful program that
helps at-risk young people graduate high school and train for a future in the construction trades while building two affordable homes for lower income families.

The grant is part of more than $58 million in funding awarded nationwide through HUD's YouthBuild Program.
Portland Youthbuilders, receiving a $685,000 grant, was the only other recipient in Oregon.

"This is a win-win program because these young people learn high-demand job skills while producing affordable
homes in their own communities," said Tom Cusack, HUD's Portland Field Office Director.

"This award from HUD allows CSC YouthBuild Lebanon to continue a program that has provided positive outcomes for the young people in our county. It is not only a youth development program with comprehensive services, but it increases affordable housing units for our low-income population," said Patty Wachs, Program Manager, CSC YouthBuild. "Without this award we could not have kept these services that are so desperately needed in rural Linn County. Our population has few options and this program does so much to address urgent needs."

Community Services Consortium, a state designated public nonprofit community action agency, partners with Lebanon Area Habitat for Humanity, Albany Habitat for Humanity, Lebanon School District, Sweet Home School District, and Benton Housing Authority.

Young people who enroll in local YouthBuild programs lack high school diplomas and the job skills necessary to find meaningful employment. The funding announced today will help young men and women, ages 16-to-24, to receive their high school equivalency diplomas and provide them training in homebuilding skills that will qualify them for
careers in the building industry.

Program participants will receive on-the-job training in the building trades and help build and renovate homes that
are then sold at affordable prices to low- and very low-income persons as well as to homeless individuals and
families.

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.

Editor's Note: For additional information, contact Tanarae Greenman, Community Services Consortium at
(541) 752-1010.

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