HUD Archives: Cuomo Hails Economic Progress While Urging Investment in People and Places Left Behind

HUD No. 00-261
Further Information:	For Release
In the Washington, DC area: 202/708-0685	Tuesday
Or contact your local HUD office	September 26, 2000

CUOMO HAILS ECONOMIC PROGRESS WHILE URGING INVESTMENT IN PEOPLE AND PLACES LEFT BEHIND

LOS ANGELES, Calif. - Housing and Urban Development Secretary Andrew Cuomo, addressing a conference of several hundred economic development professionals in Los Angeles, hailed the extraordinary economic recovery of many communities while urging new investment in people and places left behind in the new economy.

Cuomo described a Clinton-Gore Administration economic development model based on providing incentives to private sector partners who would not otherwise bring their resources to many of America's low and moderate income communities.

"Over the past five years, this Administration has invested $848 million in economic development grants and loans throughout California - leveraging billions more in additional private sector investments and creating thousands of jobs," said Cuomo.

"Job creation and business growth set off a chain reaction that can transform blighted neighborhoods into centers of growth and opportunity," Cuomo said. "When all levels of government and the private sector work together to create jobs and revitalize communities, we help build a stronger national economy and better lives for America's families. HUD is committed to creating jobs and revitalizing communities large and small, throughout California and the rest of the U.S."

Economic Development investments made in California have included the Los Angeles and Santa Ana Empowerment Zones, Economic Development Initiative grants, Section 108 loan guarantees, the Brownfields initiative and Enterprise Communities in San Francisco, Oakland and San Diego.

"This is not about charity, it's not about asking for a handout. This is about growing consumer and labor markets that will keep our economy growing in the new century," said Cuomo. "Imagine how strong we will be when we give opportunity to every American, when we let every American do the best for themselves and their families."

Cuomo also called on Congress to continue this record of success that has played an important role in Southern California's economic resurgence including providing full funding for Empowerment Zones and funding a cornerstone of the President's New Markets Initiative - America's Private Investment Companies.

Cuomo also spoke of the affordable housing crisis that grips California and threatens to slow the state's strong economic growth. Cuomo called on Congress to fund 120,000 new, critically-important Section 8 housing vouchers as requested by the President. "Now is the time to do this, there is no more time for excuses."

The conference, Closing the Gap: Investing in America's Communities, was the last event of Cuomo's three-day, 20 stop tour through Los Angeles and Orange Counties.

During the visit highlighting HUD's partnership with Southern California communities, Cuomo announced:

$27.5 million to create 270 affordable housing units and provide rental assistance for seniors housing developments in Reseda, Sylmar, Moreno Valley and Bakersfield. The funds are from HUD's highly-competitive Section 202 program that provides supportive housing assistance for the elderly.
$11 million in economic development grants and guaranteed loans for the City of Commerce and $10 million in grants and guaranteed loans for West Hollywood. The funds go toward economic development projects to create more than 1000 jobs in the City of Commerce and 700 jobs in West Hollywood. The funding is through HUD's Economic Development Initiative (EDI) and Brownfields Economic Development (BEDI) programs coupled with Section 108 economic development loan guarantees.
$5.5 million dollars in grants to protect families from the dangers of lead and other safety and health hazards in their homes. The City of Los Angeles received a $3 million grant to help protect children and their families by removing lead-based paint from privately owned low-income housing. Cuomo also awarded $1 million through the Healthy Homes Initiative to the Esperanza Community Housing Corp., for a project to prevent safety and health hazards in homes. In addition, the Child Abuse Prevention Council of Sacramento was awarded a $1.5 million Healthy Homes Initiative grant.
$2.1 million for Youthbuild grants to three non-profit organizations in Los Angeles County: The Pacific Asian Consortium in Employment (PACE); the Century Center for Economic Opportunity (CCEO); and Youth Employment Systems (YES). The grants will fund programs to train at-risk young people in the construction trades while assisting in the building and renovation of low-income housing.
$4.3 million in grants to Ability First, a non-profit group that will create 42 apartments and provide rental assistance for people with disabilities in Lomita and Irvine.
$687,700 in funding to Homeownership for Personal Empowerment to create six subsidized housing units for persons with disabilities living in Long Beach. The Ability First and Homeownership for Personal Empowerment grants are from HUD's highly-competitive Section 811 program for housing for persons with disabilities.
$125,000 in drug assistance grants to fight drug abuse and other crime in and around Pasadena's Community Arms Apartments. The Northwest Pasadena Development Corporation will use the grant to implement a comprehensive, prevention-based approach to reduce and eliminate drug use and criminal activity at the apartment complex located on East Orange Grove Boulevard in Pasadena.

While in Orange County on Sunday, Cuomo also toured Anaheim's Jeffrey-Lynn redevelopment project utilizing $6.1 million in HUD CDBG and HOME. The project will consolidate 54 apartment buildings into a gated affordable housing complex; demolish six eight-unit apartment buildings, gut 438 one-bedroom apartments and remodel them as 367 larger apartments.

Along with Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez and Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido, Secretary Cuomo opened the newest HUD Storefront Office, where Southern California residents, organizations, businesses and local governments can get important information about buying and renting homes, filing housing complaints and obtaining loans. The office will also provide technical assistance for people starting businesses, expanding job opportunities and stimulating community revitalization.

On Monday, Cuomo gave a keynote speech at Creating Partnerships for Renewed Hope, a HUD-sponsored conference that brought together HUD and other government officials with community and faith-based organizations to discuss better ways to utilize the tools and resources available to meet the needs of America's distressed communities.

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