HUD AND LOCAL OFFICIALS KICK OFF ENVISION CENTER DEMONSTRATION IN ROANOKE

ROANOKE, Va. - To help low-income residents increase their income and gain self-sufficiency, the U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Joseph J. DeFelice joined City of Roanoke Mayor Sherman Lea in announcing a new designated HUD EnVision Center demonstration in the city of Roanoke today, joining dozens of communities across the country taking this vital step to offer support services for the benefit of its residents.

HUD's EnVision Center demonstration offers assisted families support to help them achieve self-sufficiency and, thereby, making limited federal resources available to others awaiting assistance. It is premised on the fact that financial support alone is insufficient to solve poverty. Intentional and collective efforts across various organizations are needed to realize a more holistic path to foster lasting self-sufficiency.

"We will not measure success by the number of people who enter this new EnVision Center," stated DeFelice. "Success will be measured by the number of individuals who achieve greater self-sufficiency-who no longer require assistance from our programs-who gain the financial independence to be able to rent, or even buy, their own homes."

The announcement was made at the Central Offices of the City of Roanoke Redevelopment and Housing Authority (RRHA). RRHA is working with the City of Roanoke to possibly use the former Melrose Branch of the Public Library for the site of the new EnVision Center. Located on or near public housing developments, EnVision Centers provide communities with a centralized hub to access support in the following four pillars: Economic Empowerment, Educational Advancement, Health and Wellness, and Character and Leadership.

"RRHA is grateful and very excited to participate as an EnVision Center provider," said David Bustamante, RRHA's Executive Director. "This will pave the way to self-sufficiency for our residents and our community.

The core mission of RRHA is to provide safe and affordable housing to those who cannot afford fair market rents, but this is not where our job ends, it is where it begins. The EnVision Center will allow us to empower our community to become self-sufficient. We are fortunate to have great community partners that have already come to the table and agreed to fulfil Economic Empowerment, Educational Advancement, Health and Wellness, and Character and Leadership. We are very excited to begin this process."

"Financial support alone is insufficient to solve the problem of poverty," said Roanoke Mayor Sherman P. Lea. "The City of Roanoke is pleased to join dozens of communities across the country taking this vital step to offer support services for the benefit of our residents, to help them achieve self-sufficiency."

To learn more about HUD Secretary Carson's EnVision Center demonstration, please visit HUD.gov/EnVision Centers.

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HUD's mission is to create strong, sustainable, inclusive communities and quality affordable homes for all. The Department's Mid-Atlantic region includes Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, D.C. and West Virginia. The regional office is in Philadelphia. Follow Regional Administrator Joe DeFelice on Twitter.

More information about HUD and its programs is available at www.hud.gov and www.espanol.hud.gov. Connect with HUD on social media or sign up for news alerts via HUD's email list. Follow Secretary Carson on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.