AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMPLEXES IN PORTLAND, SALEM ESTACADA WIN
$2 MILLION IN HUD GRANTS TO "GO GREEN"

PORTLAND - At a press conference in southeast Portland this morning, U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Northwest Regional Administrator Mary E. McBride announced that three affordable housing complexes in Portland, Salem and Estacada have won a total of $2 million in HUD Green Retrofit grants under the American Recovery Reinvestment Act to make the complexes energy efficient.

McBride said that the 20-unit Powell Boulevard Apartments owned by the REACH Community Development
Corporation in southeast Portland has been awarded a $258,426 HUD Green Retrofit for Multifamily Housing grant,
the 50-unit Englewood East complex owned by the Salem housing authority has been awarded a $730,092.56 grant and the 53-unit Whispering Pines complex in Estacada owned by Volunteers of America has been awarded a $1,023,924.00 Green Retrofit grant.

"Thanks to these grants and the good work of our partners," said HUD Regional Director Mary McBride, "energy
costs will be reduced, residents will be more comfortable, the buildings' useful life will be extended, our carbon footprint will be smaller and out-of-work or underemployed trades people will be put back to work."

The awards are part of a national Recovery Act milestone: 100 affordable housing developments, including 8,112 homes, around the country have been awarded more than $100 million to complete energy efficient renovations
under the Recovery Act's Green Retrofit Program for Multifamily Housing. The program is providing $250 million nationally to reduce energy costs, cut water consumption, and improve indoor air quality. The remaining awards will be made on a rolling basis from now through September 30, 2010.

The Recovery Act included $13.61 billion for projects and programs administered by HUD, nearly 75 percent of which was allocated to state and local recipients only eight days after President Obama signed the Act into law. The remaining 25 percent is being awarded through competitive grant programs, including the Green Retrofit Program.
To date, over 99 percent of HUD's Recovery Act funds are in the hands of local communities, being used to improve housing and neighborhoods, while creating jobs. HUD is committed to implementing Recovery Act investments swiftly and effectively as they generate tens of thousands of jobs, modernize homes to make them energy efficient, and
help the families and communities hardest hit by the economic crisis.

In addition, Secretary Donovan and the Department are committed to providing the highest level of transparency possible as Recovery Act funds are administered. It is vitally important that the American people are fully aware of how their tax dollars are being spent and can hold their federal leaders accountable. Every dollar of Recovery Act funds HUD spends can be reviewed and tracked at HUD's Recovery Act website. The full text of HUD's funding
notices and tracking of future performance of these grants is also available at HUD's Recovery Act website.

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HUD is the nation's housing agency committed to sustaining homeownership; 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 and enforces the nation's fair housing laws. More information about HUD and its programs is available on the Internet at www.hud.gov and espanol.hud.gov.