Cuomo said HUD will provide $16 million worth of rental assistance certificates to the Detroit Housing Commission to subsidize the rents of 1,432 families being relocated from public housing units that will be demolished or rehabilitated. The families include 878 from Jeffries Homes and 412 from Herman Gardens.

The rental certificates, which are part of the Section 8 program, will enable poor families to live in privately owned apartments while paying 30 percent of their income in rent.

In addition, Cuomo announced HUD approval of Detroit Housing Commission plans to sell the 64-unit Temple Towers public housing development to the Cass Corridor Neighborhood Development Corporation for $1. The non-profit Cass Corridor group will spend $3.5 million to rehabilitate the vacant building to provide affordable housing for people with HIV/AIDS.

ANNUAL ASSISTANCE

Cuomo approved Detroit's consolidated plan and awarded the City $70.8 million in annual HUD assistance for a broad range of programs, including:

• $53.7 million under the Community Development Block Grant program. The funds will pay for public services and public facility activities for 76,000 people and 33 facilities; demolition of 1,111 structures located in and near Detroit's Empowerment Zone; and repairs to 500 homes.

• $1.4 million for homeless programs serving over 500 people.

• $14.3 million for the HOME program to rehabilitate affordable housing for homeownership and rental and to provide rental assistance.

• $1.4 million for housing assistance, in-home care, housing subsidies and support services for 100 people with AIDS.

Cuomo announced $2.3 million in homeless grants to:

• The Cass Community Non-profit Housing Corporation ($1.7 million) to provide emergency shelter and supportive housing to 150 to 300 homeless mentally ill men over three years.

• Operation Helping Hand, Inc. ($588,000) to provide rental assistance to homeless people over 10 years.

Cuomo announced that HUD will work with the Detroit Community Development Staff, Wayne State University, local fair housing groups, disability rights groups and other community groups to reduce housing discrimination in Detroit.

HUD will also work with real estate agents and lenders to reduce discrimination in home sales and in mortgage lending.