BUSH ADMINISTRATION ANNOUNCES MORE THAN $56 MILLION TO STIMULATE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND HOUSING IN WISCONSIN
Grants benefit Milwaukee County, Oshkosh, Sheboygan and State of Wisconsin

MILWAUKEE - Communities in Wisconsin will receive more than $56 million in federal funding to stimulate its local economy, produce affordable housing and help the homeless individuals and families. The funding will also help house and serve individuals with HIV/AIDS and will provide downpayment assistance to lower income families.

"This Administration is committed to promoting economic development and job growth, increasing the supply of affordable housing, and helping our most vulnerable neighbors," said Housing and Urban Development Secretary Alphonso Jackson. "These funds will serve as a catalyst for low-income families trying to cross the threshold into homeownership and reinforces our commitment to rebuilding entire communities."

The funding announced today will help lower income individuals and families living in Milwaukee County, Oshkosh, Sheboygan and smaller communities throughout Wisconsin (see details attached).

For the past 30 years, HUD's Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program has awarded over $100 billion to state and local governments to target their own community development priorities. CDBG is one of HUD's oldest and most popular programs. The rehabilitation of affordable housing has traditionally been the largest single use of the grants although CDBG is also an important catalyst for job growth and business opportunities. CDBG funds are distributed by formula around the country based on a community's population, income levels, poverty rates and the age of its housing stock.

HUD's Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) grants are distributed based on the number of AIDS cases reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The grants provide rental assistance and support services to individuals with HIV/AIDS and their families. In addition, the HOPWA program also helps many communities develop strategic AIDS housing plans and fill in gaps in local systems of care. A stable home environment is a critical component for low-income persons managing complex drug therapies and potential side effects from their treatments.

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 committed to produce nearly 785,000 affordable housing units, including almost 300,000 for new homebuyers purchasing their first home. In addition, over 100,000 tenants have received direct rental assistance.

The American Dream Downpayment Initiative (ADDI) aims to increase the homeownership rate, especially among lower income and minority households, and to revitalize and stabilize communities. ADDI will help first-time homebuyers with the biggest hurdle to homeownership: downpayment and closing costs. The program was created to assist low-income first-time homebuyers in purchasing single-family homes by providing funds for downpayment, closing costs, and rehabilitation carried out in conjunction with the assisted home purchase. Information about this program is available at www.hud.gov/offices/cpd/affordablehousing/programs/home/addi/index.cfm

Emergency Shelter Grants (ESG) help local communities to meet the basic shelter needs of homeless individuals and families. These grants also provide transitional housing and a variety of support services designed to move the homeless away from a life on the street toward permanent housing. This block grant program, in concert with more than $1 billion HUD awards by competition, helps thousands of local homeless assistance programs to help those who would otherwise call the streets their home.

Since the program's inception in 1989, nearly $226 million has been awarded to some 1070 organizations. Twenty eight organizations selected for this year's awards are first-time applicants.

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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