Housing and Urban Development Secretary Andrew Cuomo today awarded $800,000 to non-profit groups in Brownsville and Harlingen, Texas to train 50 high school dropouts to build and renovate low-income housing and to support themselves as construction workers.

The assistance under HUD's Youthbuild Program will give the young people on-the-job training through building and renovating 10 units of affordable housing for homeless people and other low-income families.

Cuomo made the announcement via TV satellite from Washington as he spoke to a news conference in Brownsville with Congressman Solomon Ortiz, Mayor Henry Gonzalez and officials from Harlingen.

"This program helps high school drop-outs build new housing for families in need, while building new careers and new lives for themselves," Cuomo said. "With the construction and academic skills they learn in Youthbuild, young people can work their way out of poverty and support themselves for a lifetime."

Youthbuild participants - ranging in age from 16 to 24 - would have a hard time finding good jobs without the program, because they lack high school diplomas and job skills. Youthbuild helps the young people get General Equivalency Program high school diplomas and provides social services and training in leadership skills, in addition to training as construction workers.

Cuomo said the grants he announced today will go to:

• The Community Development Corporation of Brownsville - $450,000. Thirty Youthbuild participants will gut and rehabilitate two existing homes and build four new energy efficient homes for low-income families. Key participating groups include: The Brownsville Adult Literacy Center, Cameron Works Inc., Immaculate Conception Cathedral, Planned Parenthood, and The International Bank of Commerce.

• The Harlingen Community Development Corporation in Harlingen - $350,000. The 20 Youthbuild participants will learn on-site construction skills by working to build four new single-family homes for low-income families. Key participating groups include: The Texas State Technical College, Cameron County Workforce Center in Harlingen, The City of Harlingen Community Development Department, and The City of Harlingen Youth Services.

Around the nation, HUD is awarding $33.1 million this month to local governments, housing authorities and non-profit groups to train nearly 2,300 high school dropouts in the Youthbuild program. More than 850 affordable houses and apartments will be built or renovated.

More than $170 million in grants have been made under Youthbuild since it began in 1993, enabling over 7,800 young people to take part in building or rehabilitating more than 3,650 affordable housing units in their communities.