SECRETARY CUOMO ANNOUNCES NATIONAL CONFERENCES ON HUD'S NEIGHBORHOOD NETWORKS INITIATIVE

WASHINGTON - Housing and Urban Development Secretary Andrew Cuomo today announced that two national conferences on HUD's Neighborhood Networks initiative will be held in September.

The Neighborhood Networks initiative is a national, community-based effort aimed at enabling low-income residents to move toward self-sufficiency. At the local level, Neighborhood Networks brings together private-sector partners, schools and universities, and community groups in partnership with landlords of HUD-assisted properties to provide high-technology and training resources for lower income families.

Launched by HUD in September 1995, Neighborhood Networks encourages the development of resources and computer learning centers in privately-owned HUD-insured and assisted housing. These centers often provide integrated services, including job training, GED certification, Internet access, health care, education, senior/youth programs and social services that provide economic opportunities for low-income families.

"In just three years, Neighborhood Networks has caught on quickly in communities nationwide," Cuomo said. "People see the value in supporting an initiative that gives residents a bridge to cross the 'digital divide' and access the computer training and other support services they need to get jobs and succeed in school."

As of last month, more than 390 Neighborhood Networks centers were in operation, serving families and seniors at more than 460 HUD-insured and assisted properties nationwide. Many residents taking advantage of their centers' programs have entered the job market in clerical, data management, accounting, paralegal and property management positions, among others. The national conferences set for September will give Neighborhood Networks participants a chance to share their successes and their ideas for making the initiative even stronger, Cuomo said.

The 1998 Neighborhood Networks Conferences - "Sharing Successes, Connecting Communities, Moving Forward - will take place at two locations and dates: Phoenix, AZ on September 14-16 and Atlanta, GA on September 23-25. These conferences will help residents, multifamily property owners, partners in schools, businesses, community organizations and government agencies develop and maintain high-tech Neighborhood Networks centers in their communities.

The conference agenda will feature a mix of plenary sessions, training workshops and discussion panels on key Neighborhood Networks topics, including:

• Technology
• Center development and sustainability
• Microenterprise creation
• Job training and readiness
• Health care
• Social services
• Education

In 1996, HUD's Neighborhood Networks initiative won one of Vice President Al Gore's Hammer Awards, presented by the National Performance Review in recognition of new standards of excellence achieved by federal, state and local government employees working to build a better government. In June, eight Neighborhood Networks centers across the country also earned HUD's 1998 John J. Gunther Best Practices Awards, recognizing the very best programs in housing and community development.

To learn more about the conference visit the Neighborhood Networks website at www.NeighborhoodNetworks.org.