HUD AWARDS $789,000 TO TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY THROUGH THE HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES GRANT

NASHVILLE - U.S. Housing and Urban Development Region IV Regional Administrator Ed Jennings, Jr. in a ceremony today awarded to Vice President and Provost Dr. Dennis Gendron, Tennessee State University, Nashville, Tennessee a ceremonial check for $789,031 as one of three national awards totaling $2.4 million. These HUD grants are awarded to historically black colleges and universities to help revitalize neighborhoods and promote affordable housing near their campuses.

"Historically black colleges and universities play a unique role in helping to revitalize local communities," said HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan. "HUD is proud to be partnering with these colleges and universities to help them improve neighborhoods and stimulate economic development around their campuses."

"These historically black colleges and universities are cultivating young innovative minds and play an essential role in strengthening local communities," said Ed Jennings, Jr. HUD Region IV Regional Administrator. "We are so proud of the opportunity to partner with these institutions in this most worthwhile endeavor."

The following Historically Black Colleges and Universities were awarded funding (see attached for a description of these projects):

The funding announced today is provided through HUD's Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Program (www.oup.org/programs/aboutHBCU.asp) which is designed to help these institutions address community development needs in their communities. These needs include neighborhood revitalization, housing, and economic development, and other programs that benefit low- and moderate-income families.

The funds announced today may be used to: demolish blighted structures; rehabilitate homes; assist community-based development organizations to carry out neighborhood revitalization; and provide down-payment and closing cost assistance to low- and moderate-income homebuyers.

The Historically Black Colleges and Universities Program is one of several initiatives administered by HUD's Office of University Partnerships (OUP). Established in 1994, OUP is a catalyst for partnering colleges and universities with their communities in an effort to address pressing local problems. For more information about HUD's partnership with institutions of higher education, visit HUD's website (www.oup.org/).

###

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.

Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Program Summaries

Elizabeth City State University
$800,000

Elizabeth City State University (ECSU) intends to use its Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) grant to rehabilitate 25 owner-occupied homes. Priority consideration will be given to substandard homes occupied by elderly, disabled, and low-income residents. Primary emphasis will be placed on bringing homes up to code and making them safe and energy efficient. This project will assist low-and moderate-income families in obtaining decent, safe, and affordable housing. Housing services will include: housing counseling and financial literacy services for 250 residents; financial assistance to 25 first-time homebuyers with down payment and closing cost assistance; and home energy conservation education resulting in reduced home energy consumption and costs for over 300 households. ECSU will undertake a job training initiative that will develop new job skills for 25 under-and-unemployed target area residents. This project will also provide technical assistance services to strengthen the capability of nine community based organizations to carry out community economic development and related social service projects targeted to people
in low-income and distressed areas.

Norfolk State University
$800,000

Norfolk State University (NSU) intends to use its Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) grant to give rise to a WoMen's Resource Facility that will complement existing economic development efforts taking place in the surrounding cities. The center will produce activities that will address and impact barriers that low- to moderate-income women face that prevent them from becoming homeowners, gaining education, becoming mentally and physically healthy, and extending opportunities for new partnerships with agencies. Although the WoMen's Resource Facility is being created to assist women, services will be open to men as well. The WoMen's Center will be located
on NSU's campus, with center activities taking place on-campus and at community centers in the targeted communities.

Tennessee State University
$789,031

Tennessee State University (TSU) intends to use its Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) grant to perform energy evaluations of 50 homes and energy improvement rehabilitations to 30 low- and moderate-income persons in the North Nashville community. Homes will be selected based on need. Task I will provide 30 grants to low- or moderate-income homeowners in the target area. The target recipients of these home rehab projects are homeowners who need improvements up to $9,000 per home to improve the energy efficiency of their property. TSU will partner with the Mayor's Office of Sustainability, Nashville/Davidson County, Hands on Nashville, Vanderbilt University, and Conservation Services Group (CSG), to complete this task. One of Mayor Karl Dean's Green Ribbon Committee's recommendations is to reduce Nashville's energy usage. The committee's goal is a 5-percent reduction
by 2012 and a 20-percent reduction by 2020. Nashville Electric Service, in partnership with the Tennessee Valley Authority, has developed a program to encourage energy efficiency through residential energy-efficient retrofits of existing homeowners' adoption of energy efficient integrations into existing properties. Financial incentives are essential components of encouraging homeowners to take action, however, little to no effort has been made to reach out to our target area of North Nashville because of financial limitations, as most the target area's homeowners are persons of low- to moderate-income. TSU will work with CSG, neighborhood leaders, churches, and nonprofits to identify potential homeowners who would most benefit from this program. This way, the program will support long-term homeowners who are committed to staying in the target area.