CUOMO ANNOUNCES 25 COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES WILL RECEIVE $7.3 MILLION UNDER HUD PROGRAM TO SPUR URBAN REVITALIZATION

The recipients of the Department of Housing and Urban Development grants are in Alabama, California, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.

"Colleges and universities can be the gateway to the American Dream, not just for their students, but for their neighbors as well," Cuomo said. "HUD is working in partnership with colleges and universities to transform impoverished neighborhoods surrounding their campuses by creating jobs and training, helping new businesses to get started, and expanding homeownership."

HUD's Community Outreach Partnership Centers initiative is also helping colleges and universities provide technical assistance to community-based organizations, develop community revitalization training seminars, create public-private partnerships, assist with the resolution of tenant-landlord conflicts, implement community policing, and assist in the development of mixed-income housing.

"This initiative will benefit cities, their residents and colleges by reversing decades of neighborhood decline," Cuomo said. "Healthier communities help universities remain healthy and attractive to students."

Sixteen new grants will go to: CA- Rancho Santiago College, Santa Ana ($400,000), San Jose State University ($399,979), University of California, San Diego ($400,000); IN- Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis ($395,088); MA- Fitchburg State College, Fitchburg ($399,684); MO- University of Missouri-Kansas City ($399,195); NE- University of Nebraska at Omaha ($400,000); NC- University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill ($399,985); NH- New Hampshire College, Manchester ($399,278); NY- Brooklyn College, Brooklyn ($399,979); Buffalo State College, Buffalo ($391,596); RI- University of Rhode Island, Kingston ($391,918); SC- Clemson University, Clemson ($399,686); TX- University of North Texas, Denton ($399,692); VA- Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond ($399,358); and WI- University of Wisconsin-Parkside, Kenosha ($399,966).

Nine colleges and universities receiving grants to continue programs already operating are: AL- University of Alabama at Birmingham, ($99,998); GA- Georgia State University, Atlanta, ($100,000); IL- DePaul University, Chicago ($100,000); University of Illinois, Champaign ($99,990); TN- University of Memphis ($99,959), University of Tennessee, Knoxville ($100,000); TX- University of Texas at Austin, ($99,999); VA- George Mason University, Fairfax, ($99,979), WV- Marshall University, Huntington ($99,958).

Schools were selected based on: the amount of money each expected to contribute or raise from other sources; extent of need; quality of activities described; level of neighborhood and local government participation; and commitment to the program. More than 100 institutions applied for this year's grants.

More information about the Community Outreach Partnership Centers initiative is available at the office's Web site, www.oup.org, or at HUD User at 1-(800)245-2691.