SEATTLE & KING COUNTY HOUSING AUTHORITIES WIN TOTAL OF $6.1 MILLION TO "SEED" DEVELOPMENT OF EDUCATION CENTERS FOR CHILDREN & ADULTS

SEATTLE - U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan today announced the award of $3,109,271 to the Seattle Housing Authority and $3,029,773 to the King County Housing Authority as "seed" funding toward development of early childhood education and adult training facilities for public housing residents.

Today's awards were among $34 million awarded to 10 public housing authorities nationwide under HUD's competitive Capital Fund Education and Training Community Facilities Program (CFCF) grant program.

"As President Obama has said, if America is to win the future, we need to out-educate the rest of the world," said HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan. "This funding helps public housing agencies that want to provide these services but lacked the resources. This is an investment to make certain we connect affordable housing with quality education
and training resources."

"The better the educational facilities in a community, the stronger that community will be," said HUD Northwest Regional Administrator Mary McBride. "These grants will provide a "spark" that will help both the Seattle and King County housing authorities expand opportunities for residents of their public housing communities."

HUD's CFCF program provides funding to public housing authorities for the construction, rehabilitation, or purchase of facilities that will offer early childhood education, adult education and job training programs. It is designed primarily
for public housing residents, but can be utilized by residents in the surrounding community. The purpose of the facilities is to offer comprehensive, integrated education and employment services to help public housing residents achieve long-term economic self-sufficiency.

HUD required successful applicants to illustrate their ability to get firm financial commitments of at least 5 percent to leverage the HUD grant. The applicants were also required to identify at least one education and/or training supportive service provider, such as a community college, that would partner with the housing authority to provide education and employment services at the facility. All of the grantees surpassed this requirement by forming partnerships with many local organizations in the community.

The Housing Authority of the City of Seattle will allocate its entire $3,109,271 CFCF grant to rehabilitate a former steam plant located on housing authority property. When renovated, the facility will include 11,692 square feet, two floors plus a roof-top terrace. This facility will provide early education, adult education, and job training. Partners identified include Head Start, Catholic Community Services, the Service Employees International Union, and the local Workforce Development Council.

The King County Housing Authority will use its $3,029,773 CFCF grant and will allocate:

• $815,888 to renovate and expand an existing one-story building located on housing authority property at Firwood Circle in Auburn. When completed, the facility will include 3,366 square feet. This facility will provide early education, adult education, and job training. Partners identified include the local community college, the YWCA, the King County Work Training Program, and the local Workforce Development Council.
  
  
• $995,207 to construct a one-story building located at Burndale House in Auburn. When completed, the facility will include 3,563 square feet. This facility will provide early education, adult education, and job training; partners identified include Green River Community College, the Refugee Women's Alliance, and the Puget Sound Educational Services District.
  
  
• $1,218,678 to construct a one-story building located on at Valli Kee in Kent. When completed, the facility will contain 4430 square feet. This facility will provide early education, adult education, and job training; partners identified include the Kent Family Center, the Refugee Women's Alliance, and the Puget Sound Educational Services District.

Housing authorities in Akron, Albany, Asheville, Austin, Boston, Camden, Helena, and St. Louis also were awarded CFCF grants today.

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