HUD REGIONAL ADMINISTRATOR WRAPS UP COMMONWEALTH TOUR

PHILADELPHIA - U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Regional Administrator Joe DeFelice has wrapped up a six-city tour of HUD-assisted properties and projects in Pennsylvania, launching the outreach effort last Tuesday in Scranton.

"I've been calling my outreach, 'Crisscrossing the Commonwealth,'" said DeFelice. "I started in the east, traveled west and then headed back to the east for final meetings in the Chambersburg borough and York."

DeFelice was appointed regional administrator of HUD's Mid-Atlantic region in May. Since assuming his position, he has been touring the region to see HUD's impact on communities, visiting elected officials and local partners who oversee HUD-assisted housing, homeless assistance programs and community development projects. Over the summer, he met Lehigh Valley officials and completed several tours in Philadelphia.

"It was an eye-opening tour, seeing and hearing firsthand the challenges facing communities. From homelessness to blight, there is a lot of need, but I was pleased to see that HUD is helping to lighten the load." said DeFelice.

After visiting The Cornerstone of Beaver County-a nonprofit homeless service provider-in Beaver Falls, he made a stop in Wheeling, W. Va., to see Celeron Plaza, a $10 million revitalization project awarded $3.7 million in HUD funding. See the full list of his visits below.

With the regional office in Philadelphia, HUD's Mid-Atlantic (https://twitter.com/hudmidatlantic) region serves Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, D.C. and West Virginia. Follow Regional Administrator Joe DeFelice (https://twitter.com/joedefelicehud) on Twitter for updates on his outreach efforts in Pennsylvania, including where he's headed next. He has been tweeting about his tour, using hashtag #CrisscrossPA. Photos are available upon request.

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HUD's mission is to create strong, sustainable, inclusive communities and quality affordable homes for all. More information about HUD and its programs is available on the Internet at www.hud.gov and http://espanol.hud.gov.

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