HUD ANNOUNCES $15.8 MILLION FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN HARRIS COUNTY

FORT WORTH - U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan today announced that Harris
County, Texas, will receive a total of $15,864,545 to support community development, produce more affordable housing and assist homeless persons with housing and support services.

"This funding provides the building blocks needed to improve communities," said Donovan. "Now, more than ever,
these grants promote neighborhood development, produce affordable housing, and help extremely low-income
persons find their place in their communities."

The funding announced today includes:

•   $11,683,390 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds;
•       $474,270 in Emergency Shelter Grants (ESG) funding; and
•    $3,706,885 for HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME) funding.
  $15,864,545 TOTAL

Since 1974, HUD's Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program has provided approximately $132 billion to state and local governments to target their own community development priorities. The rehabilitation of affordable housing and the improvement of public facilities have traditionally been the largest uses of CDBG although the
program is also an important catalyst for job growth and business opportunities. Annual CDBG funds are distributed
to communities according to a statutory formula based on a community's population, poverty, and age of its housing stock, and extent of overcrowded housing.

Emergency Shelter Grants (ESG) provide homeless persons with basic shelter and essential supportive services.
They can assist with the operational costs of the shelter facility, and for the administration of the grant. ESG also provide short-term homeless prevention assistance to persons at imminent risk of losing their own housing due to eviction, foreclosure, or utility shutoffs.

HOME (HOME Investment Partnerships Program) is the largest federal block grant to state and local governments designed exclusively to produce affordable housing for low-income families. Since 1992, more than 600 communities have completed nearly 950,000 affordable housing units, including 403,000 for new homebuyers. In addition,
224,000 tenants have received direct rental assistance.

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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 and espanol.hud.gov.