CUOMO AWARDS $36 MILLION IN HUD GRANTS TO HELP PUBLIC HOUSING RESIDENTS MOVE FROM WELFARE TO WORK

"Public housing is filled with people who want jobs but can't get them," Cuomo said. "Many need job training, education, placement services, transportation and child care before they can go to work. By providing these services, we can help people get jobs so they can climb out of poverty under the own power, build better lives for their families, and free themselves from welfare dependency. This is good for the residents, for our economy, and for taxpayers."

Some of the HUD assistance will also be used to help elderly and disabled public housing residents continue living in their apartments, instead of moving to more costly facilities such as nursing homes.

The three grants will go to public housing residents in 39 states and Puerto Rico in these amounts: Alaska -- $200,00; Arizona -- $350,000; Arkansas -- $225,500; California -- $4.3 million; Colorado -- $21,877; Connecticut -- $106,500; Florida -- $1.6 million; Georgia -- $1.8 million; Hawaii -- $500,000; Illinois -- $1.2 million; Indiana -- $507,500; Kentucky -- $1.2 million; Louisiana -- $600,000; Maine -- $97,710; Maryland -- $800,000; Massachusetts -- $1.2 million; Michigan -- $606,000; Minnesota -- $1.1 million; Mississippi -- $100,000; Missouri -- $669,038; Montana -- $188,000; Nebraska -- $228,970; Nevada -- $150,000; New Jersey -- $1.1 million; New Mexico -- $339,250; New York -- $4.5 million; North Carolina -- $1.3 million; North Dakota -- $42,600; Ohio -- $1.5 million; Oklahoma -- $745,745; Pennsylvania -- $1.2 million; Puerto Rico -- $1.6 million; South Carolina -- $97,500; Tennessee -- $1.2 million; Texas -- $1 million; Utah -- $225,000; Virginia -- $1 million; Washington State -- $1.3 million; West Virginia -- $319,750; Wisconsin -- $800,000.

Cuomo awarded these grants:

• $25.4 million to 113 public housing authorities under the Economic Development and Supportive Services Program (EDSS).

• $8.1 million to 81 public housing resident councils, resident management corporations, and other resident organizations under the Public and Indian Housing Tenant Organization Program (TOP).

• $2.5 million to six partnerships between public housing authorities and community development groups under the Community Partnerships for Resident Uplift and Economic Development program.

Nationwide, the EDSS grants will go to help public housing residents get jobs by funding activities such as: job training and placement services, childcare programs, transportation to jobs, education programs, and loans and training to help residents start small businesses. Programs for senior citizens and people living with disabilities in public housing include: providing meals, housekeeping assistance, transportation services, adult day care and wellness programs.

The grants under the TOP program will also support activities to help public housing residents move from welfare to work, including: job training and placement, small business development, general equivalency diploma and literacy training programs, parental skills training, health and nutrition training, youth development workshops, and substance abuse counseling. The program encourages the creation of businesses owned by and employing public housing residents. The resident businesses can create jobs for public housing residents by becoming contractors that are hired by housing authorities to perform maintenance, management, and financial services work.

The Community Partnerships for Resident Uplift Program is a three-year initiative sponsored by HUD, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Agriculture, and the Boys & Girls Club of America. It targets public housing residents and others in the surrounding neighborhood who are directly affected by welfare reform. Through partnerships with local community development corporations, public housing authorities can use HUD funds for the expansion of business and other commercial activities to create new jobs for residents.

EDSS, TOP, and Resident Uplift Grants List

EDSS FY 1997 Grantees

TOP FY 1997 Grantees