Regional Administrator, Ed Jennings, Jr. Addresses Tennessee Governor's Housing Summit

On Wednesday, October 20, 2010, Region IV Administrator, Ed Jennings, Jr. addressed some 500 housing advocates from across Tennessee during the Tennessee Governor's annual event for affordable housing advocates. After taped opening remarks from Secretary Donovan, which were composed for this event, he expressed support for the Secretary's initiatives to leaders of local, state and federal agencies and non-profits, and cited the spirit of "Volunteerism" he saw during the May flooding, not only by HUD staff, but from the thousands of volunteers that helped others get back on their feet all across Middle and West Tennessee.

Secretary Donovan expressed HUD's desire to continue to assist communities and families across the nation and in Tennessee, providing numerous examples of how HUD's funding supports the Department's re-vamped initiatives. Noting such examples, Mr. Jennings elaborated on how cities and towns across the state are, and will be, benefiting from HUD's $4.8 billion investment here during 2010. One example of how HUD's funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act helped Nashville was the recent construction of the solar array covering the entire roof of Parthenon Towers, a multi-family dwelling that will now be the largest independent producer of alternative energy in Tennessee.

More concrete examples of HUD's funding were provided as he again reiterated that "if Tennesseans can perform like they did after the flooding, I know they can use that same dedication to promote affordable housing and community development with these funds." He also noted that the local Nashville Field Office Director, Bill Dirl, retired and that he was an asset to HUD during the many years of his dedication to local communities. Mr. Dirl who was present received a long, standing applause. A video of how HUD worked with FEMA was provided to show that HUD's mission during disasters is not just volunteerism, but within HUD's mission.

Highlighting Mr. Jennings, Jr. remark's was his announcement that the cities of Memphis and Columbia, Tennessee were awarded Sustainable Communities Planning funding of over $1.5 million from a HUD and DOT partnership to help communities design and plan for the future. HUD is awarding $40 million in new Sustainable Community Challenge Grants to help support local planning designed to integrate affordable housing, good jobs and public transportation. Meanwhile, DOT is awarding almost $28 million in TIGER (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery) II Planning Grants to implement localized plans that ultimately lead to projects that integrate transportation, housing and economic development. The Honorable Mayor Dean Dickey of Columbia was honored as he accepted a $250,000 grant from HUD for Columbia's James Campbell Corridor Plan. The City of Memphis will be awarded $1,260,905 for an urban area around the Memphis International Airport, dubbed an Aerotropolis - a transit and freight hub.

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