CUOMO AND CLEAVER FORM PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN HUD AND NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF BLACK MAYORS

NEW ORLEANS - Housing and Urban Development Secretary Andrew Cuomo and National Conference of Black Mayors President Emanuel Cleaver today signed a partnership agreement pledging HUD and NCBM to work together on a broad range of economic development and housing initiatives to benefit America's cities.

The agreement, signed at NCBM's 24th annual convention in New Orleans, includes provisions saying HUD will provide up to $200,000 in technical assistance services to help NCBM and member mayors benefit from participation in the Department's programs.

"Members of the National Conference of Black Mayors are playing an important role in revitalizing America's communities" Cuomo said. "I came to New Orleans because I wanted to tell NCBM members personally that your hard work and your dedication are making life better for millions of Americans. I came because I wanted to tell you that the Clinton Administration recognizes your important contributions to our nation. And I came because I wanted to sign this agreement to strengthen our partnership."

"HUD and the National Conference of Black Mayors will work together as partners to reverse decades of decline in our cities," said Cleaver, who is Mayor of Kansas City, MO. "Working together, we can help create more affordable housing and homeownership, we can attract more new businesses and jobs to our cities, we can reduce housing discrimination, and we can bring economic prosperity to all parts of America."

NCBM is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization of more than 400 mayors from cities throughout the U.S. While many members represent large cities, the largest percentage represent small communities in the South and Southeast.

The HUD-NCBM agreement will enable mayors to learn more about the ways HUD can help their communities and will help them in planning, creating and implementing HUD-funded programs in their cities.

Through the agreement, NCBM members will be encouraged to form close working relationships with HUD field offices and receive on-site assistance from expert consultants hired by HUD.

Specific initiatives to be covered by the agreement include: small business development, welfare-to-work programs, housing counseling, affordable housing initiatives, fighting housing discrimination, community reinvestment strategies, senior citizen housing, and improvements in public and assisted housing.

Cuomo also encouraged the mayors to apply for additional funding through HUD's SuperNOFA (notice of funding availability) - a funding vehicle for organizations and agencies to apply for more than $3 billion in HUD grants for a variety of programs.

At the conference, Cuomo was honored for his leadership in the field of urban affairs. He was presented the NCBM President's Award by Mayor Cleaver for "leading the way in cracking down on hate crimes in housing and for dramatically increasing enforcement actions under the Fair Housing Act."