HUD AWARDS $1.9 MILLION SELF-HELP HOUSING FUNDS TO COMMUNITY FRAMEWORKS OF BREMERTON & SPOKANE
Nationwide, HUD awards $13.5 million to four organizations to help 741 families become owners of energy-efficient homes

SEATTLE - The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has awarded $1,905,750 in "sweat equity" self-help housing funds to Community Frameworks of Spokane and Bremerton to produce at least 102 additional units of affordable, energy-efficient housing.

The award is part of $13.5 million in grants to four organizations including Community Frameworks to produce at least 741 affordable homes for low-income working families and individuals. Funded through HUD's Self-Help Homeownership Opportunity Program (SHOP). In addition to Community Frameworks, funds were won by Habitat for Humanity International of Americus, Georgia, the Housing Assistance Council of Washington, D.C. and Tierra del Sol of Anthony, New Mexico.

Over the last five years, Community Frameworks has completed or begun construction of more than 1,200 self-help houses in Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington state. Under this latest SHOP grant, Community Frameworks funds available to 16 affiliates to buy land and build or make necessary infrastructure improvements to support new construction and rehabilitation. Funds will also be used for administration of the grant. The units will be single-family detached and multifamily dwellings. Ownership will be fee simple, condominium or land trust. Completed units will be sold to low-income homebuyers who have contributed a significant amount of sweat equity toward the construction of their homes.

"These grants are about families devoting their own sweat and labor into their American Dream," said HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan. "With the help of these organizations and armies of volunteers, families are able to see that dream become reality brick by brick."

"Self-help housing involves the homeowner in almost every step of the homebuilding process," said HUD Northwest Regional Administrator Mary McBride. "There's probably no better way to fully appreciate all it means to own a home than to roll up your sleeves and actually build it from the ground up.".

The following organizations will receive SHOP funds:

HUD's SHOP program provides federal grants on a competitive basis to national and regional nonprofit organizations and consortia that have experience in administering self-help homeownership housing programs. The SHOP grants must be used to purchase land and make necessary infrastructure improvements, which may not exceed an average $15,000 per dwelling unit. Leveraged funds must be used for the construction or rehabilitation of these homeownership units. Grantees may carry out activities directly and/or distribute SHOP funds to local nonprofit affiliates that will develop the SHOP units, select homebuyers, coordinate the homebuyer sweat equity and volunteer efforts, and assist in the arrangement of interim and permanent financing for the homebuyers.

Homebuyers in SHOP-funded programs must contribute a minimum of 100 hours of sweat equity on the construction of their homes and/or the homes of other homebuyers participating in the local self-help housing program. Self-help housing or "sweat equity" involves the homebuyer's participation in the construction of the housing, which can include, but is not limited to, assisting in the painting, carpentry, trim work, drywall, roofing and siding for the housing.

All newly constructed units will receive certification as an ENERGY STAR Qualified New Home and all appliances and products or features which are installed or replaced will be ENERGY STAR qualified. Water usage products will bear the WaterSense label. Many units will also have "Green", "Healthy Homes" and "Universal Design" features.

Homebuyer households of two or more persons must contribute a minimum of 100 hours of sweat equity on the construction of their homes and/or the homes of other homebuyers participating in the local self-help housing program. Single person households must contribute a minimum of 50 hours of sweat equity. Reasonable accommodations are made for homebuyers with disabilities. Sweat equity involves participation in the construction of the housing, which can include, but is not limited to, assisting in the painting, carpentry, trim work, drywall, roofing and siding for the housing. Labor is also contributed by community volunteers. The sweat equity and labor contributions by the homebuyers and volunteers significantly reduce the cost of the housing.

Most of the families who benefit from SHOP homes are first-time homeowners so the new home fulfills a lifelong dream. The organizations that receive the SHOP grants also ensure the new homeowners can afford to stay in their homes for the long term to provide a safe, healthy, stable environment to raise children, access jobs and build community.

Since 1996, the HUD's SHOP program has provided more than $373 million in federal grants that, together with significant leveraged funds and numerous volunteer hours, are transforming lives and neighborhoods through the production of over 28,000 units of affordable, homeownership housing.

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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 at www.hud.gov and espanol.hud.gov. You can also follow HUD on Twitter at @HUDnews or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/HUD, or sign up for news alerts on HUD's News Listserv.