| HUD
No. 04-31 Patricia Campbell (817) 978-5974 ext. 5965 |
For
Release Thursday July 15, 2004 |
BUSH ADMINISTRATION AWARDS $2.3 MILLION TO BOOST ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND HOUSING IN RURAL TEXAS
San Juan, San Antonio, McAllen, El Paso, Carrizo Springs and Beaumont Receive Grants
FORT WORTH - Housing and Urban Development Secretary Alphonso
Jackson today announced nearly $2.3 million in grants to help rural
communities in Texas to stimulate their economies, produce more
affordable housing and boost
job growth. The funding is provided
through HUD's Rural Housing and Economic Development Program.
"This investment in rural America demonstrates that this Administration's commitment to our nation's heartland is strong," said Jackson. "These grants will help rural communities across Texas produce affordable housing and jobs where they're needed most."
The funding announced today will benefit:
The
Azteca Community Loan Fund in San Juan will use its $400,000
Economic Development Innovative Support Grant to assist thirty extremely
low-income Colonia families in Hidalgo County to improve their housing
and economic conditions. Azteca Community Loan Fund is a Certified
Development Financial Institution that serves Colonia
residents
along the Texas/Mexico border. Partners and supporters include the
Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas, Consumer Credit Counseling Service
of South Texas, First National Bank, University of Texas-Pan American
and other supporters.
Proyecto Azteca in San Juan will use its $400,000 Rural Housing and Economic Development Innovative Support Grant to construct twenty-seven new affordable homes with Colonia families along the Texas-Mexico border. Supporters include the Hidalgo County Urban County Program.
ACCION
in San Antonio will use its $150,000 Rural Housing and Economic
Development Capacity Building Grant to
add a staff position and
train staff members in order to expand their microlending program
in the Colonias. ACCION Texas is a nonprofit microenterprise development
program dedicated to increasing incomes and creating jobs in low-income
communities by providing microentrepreneurs with access to credit
and business support services not
available from the commercial
banking sector.
The
Community Development Corporation of South Texas, Inc. will
use its $400,000 Rural Housing and
Economic Development Innovative
Support Grant to capitalize the Affordable Housing Mortgage Fund
and finance twenty mortgages of affordable housing to first-time
homebuyers. CDCST will provide low-income working families
with
construction services and long-term flexible financing. Partners
include: Hidalgo County Urban County Program, Housing Assistance
council, McAllen Affordable Homes, the Rio Grande valley Multibank
and other partners.
The
El Paso Empowerment Zone Corporation will use its $400,000 Housing
and Economic Development Innovative Support Grant to construct 12
new housing units, which will result in 28 new jobs. Alianza de
Desarrollo Comunitario,
a grassroots community development organization
that has worked with the El Paso Colonias, and the Affordable Housing
Credit Union Sponsoring Organization, a HUD approved housing counseling
agency, will be partners in the project.
The Neighborhood Housing Services of Dimmit County, Inc. in Carrizo Springs will use its $400,000 Rural Housing and Economic Development Innovative Support Grant to support several innovative housing and economic development initiatives in the Middle Rio Grande region of South Texas. Partners include the Center for Economic Development at the University of Texas at San Antonio; Johnson & Johnson Attorneys at Law; USDA and SBA.
The Statewide Consolidated Community Development Corporation in Beaumont will use its $149,717 Rural Housing and Economic Development Capacity Building Grant to hire one new staff person and construct at least 18 single family homes for rental. Statewide CCDC is a private non-profit, tax-exempt, charitable organization that helps individuals and families who are low and moderate income achieve the American Dream of home ownership. Rural Housing and Economic Development grants help pay for land acquisition, new home construction, housing demolition, infrastructure improvements and construction training. Other possible uses include homeownership and financial counseling; financial assistance to homeowners, businesses and developers; creating microenterprises and small business incubators; and, establishing lines of credit or revolving loan pools to benefit the local business community.
Rural
non-profit organizations, federally recognized Native American tribes,
community development corporations
and state agencies will administer
these grants. The funding will help 105 rural communities to build
and improve affordable housing, create jobs and generate community
and economic development.
Rural
communities will use this funding as seed money to pay the start-up
costs for housing or economic
development projects. These grants
will also help organizations to hire and train their staffs, develop
strategic plans and acquire office space and other needed facilities.
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.
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