HUD AWARDS $2.5 MILLION IN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT GRANTS TO 10 HISTORICALLY
BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development today
awarded $2.5 million in grants to help 10 historically black
colleges and universities (HBCUs) establish community development
corporations (CDCs).
Through the CDCs, which will receive about $250,000 each,
the colleges will help neighborhood groups develop partnerships
with local governments, nonprofit agencies and area businesses to
spur economic development and neighborhood renewal.
HBCUs receiving grants are: Alabama A&M University, Normal,
Ala.; Stillman College, Tuscaloosa, Ala.; Tuskegee University,
Tuskegee, Ala.; Philander Smith College, Little Rock, Ark.;
Lincoln University, Jefferson City, Mo.; Central State
University, Wilberforce, Ohio; Benedict College, Columbia, S.C.;
Claflin College and South Carolina State University, both in
Orangeburg, S.C.; and St. Paul's College, Lawrenceville, Va.
In addition to the grants, each institution will be eligible
for technical assistance and up to $100,000 in low-interest gap
loan funding through a $1 million public-private partnership
between HUD and the Structured Employment Economic Development
Corporation (SEEDCO) of New York. SEEDCO currently is working
with 11 other HBCUs that have established CDCs.
"The long-term futures of cities and urban universities in
this country are so intertwined that one cannot, or perhaps will
not, survive without the other," said HUD Secretary Henry G.
Cisneros. "The ten institutions receiving grants today have
demonstrated, by the projects they have planned, their
understanding of this challenge."
Deputy HUD Secretary Dwight Robinson, who announced the
grant recipients, said: "With the help of these grants, colleges
and universities can reach out to their communities. They can
make available their resources and expertise. They can form the
partnerships needed to help create economic opportunities and
more livable neighborhoods."
Central State University will use its grant to acquire and
rehabilitate a commercial property in nearby Dayton's Innerwest
neighborhood as a CDC community outreach center. CSU also will
train CDC staff and other personnel to promote homeownership and
job opportunities, in collaboration with the city of Dayton.
Benedict College will acquire substandard single-family
dwellings for resale to low- and moderate-income families, and
acquire substandard commercial property for sale or lease to
local service or retail businesses.
Philander Smith College, located in one of HUD's Enterprise
communities, will use a portion of its grant to develop a small
business incubator and "an incubator without walls" to assist
with business development in its CDC target area.
For further information about CDC grants or other special
HBCU programs, contact HUD's Office of Community Planning and
Development at (202) 708-1590.
Content Archived: January 20, 2009