HUD ANNOUNCES $31 MILLION IN GRANTS
TO FUND WELFARE-TO-WORK INITIATIVE
AT 45 PUBLIC HOUSING AUTHORITIES

"These grants will give people training, education, child care, transportation and other services needed to help them get jobs and become self-supporting," Cuomo said. "We are turning welfare reform from a promising idea into a reality that will transform the lives of some of the poorest families in America."

The grants are part of a larger effort underway at the Department to dramatically transform public housing and stimulate welfare reform. Last week, Cuomo announced Jobs-Plus, a Welfare- To-Work demonstration project aimed at significantly increasing employment and income of public housing residents in seven cities across the country.

Included among the 45 public housing authorities receiving funds is the Washington, D.C. Housing Authority, which is receiving a $1 million grant in support of President Clinton's D.C. Initiative. The funds will provide job training and employment in an array of fields as well as business development training and assistance in securing contracts.

Eighty percent of the $31 million in Welfare-To-Work grants will fund supportive services and economic development efforts that will enable residents to become self-sufficient, including employment training and counseling, child care, computer training, homeownership counseling, basic education courses, transportation, and health care. Self-sufficiency funds are being awarded to 34 of the 45 housing authorities.

The economic development portion of the grants also will be used to fund entrepreneurship training, and the establishment of credit unions and "micro loan funds" through which public housing residents can borrow money to establish businesses.

In Lawrence, Mass., the housing authority plans to create a one-stop shopping career center, which over the next three years is expected to generate more than 500 new jobs for residents.

The housing authority in Newport News, Va., is working with local community agencies to expand their existing computer education training program and begin a Certified Nurses Aid Program.

In Long Branch, N.J., the housing authority plans to use its grant to fund a voluntary Family Self-Sufficiency Program, small business training and development, and to establish a micro-loan fund and a credit union. The grant also will be used for child care/teacher's aid training, computer skills training and Home Health Aide Training. Supportive services will include employment training and counseling, child care and transportation assistance, education courses, personal welfare assistance, and homeownership counseling.

Twenty percent of the $31 million will be used to help the elderly and disabled living in public housing receive meals, personal assistance, housekeeping aid, transportation, and adult day care. Funds to help the elderly and disabled live independently will be awarded to 15 housing authorities. Cities receiving both economic development and elderly assistance grants include Philadelphia, Greenville, S.C., High Point, N.C., and Portland, Ore.

Each eligible housing authority's grant can be as high as $1 million, and all have established partnerships with local non- profit agencies or private sector businesses that will assist in carrying out proposed activities.

Funding for these Economic Development and Supportive Services (EDSS) grants, part of the Community Development Block Grant appropriation, was provided through the Omnibus Consolidated Recessions and Appropriations Act of 1996, which was passed into law on April 26, 1996.

HUD expects to issue the 1997 notice of funding availability for the next round of Welfare-To-Work/EDSS grants during the early part of May as part of the larger welfare reform initiative.

The 45 cities with the 45 public housing authorities receiving grants are: AL- Mobile ($1 million); AZ- Phoenix ($999,558); CA- Oakland ($385,000), Oxnard ($163,300), San Rafael $443,565); CT- Hartford ($368,126), Norwalk ($556,000); D.C.- Washington ($1 million); FL- Lakeland ($678,000), Tampa ($379,511); IL- Chicago ($295,551); KY- Louisville ($500,000); MA- Lawrence ($800,000), Lowell ($878,288), Worcester ($1 million); MD- Frederick ($467,700), Kensington ($207,603); MI- Detroit ($1 million), Watersmeet ($332,292); MN- St. Paul ($1 million); MO- Kansas City ($189,756); NC- Highpoint ($658,385); ND- New Town ($1 million); NH- Dover ($443,462), Manchester ($780,824); NJ- Long Branch ($500,000), Millville ($989,879); OH- Warren ($960,639), Youngstown ($998,750); OK- Tahlequah ($1 million); OR- Portland ($999,908); PA- Chester ($271,010), Philadelphia ($679,510), Pittsburgh ($379,510), West Chester ($290,000), York ($999,900); PR- San Juan ($1 million); RI- Providence ($500,000); SC- Greenville ($994,762); SD- Rosebud ($1 milllion); TN- Knoxville ($1 million); TX- Houston ($1 million); VA- Alexandria ($585,500), Newport News ($770,700); WA- Tacoma ($466,863).