HUD Archives: News Releases

SECRETARY MARTINEZ ANNOUNCES MORE THAN $1.6 MILLION IN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FUNDS FOR THREE CITIES IN NEW HAMPSHIRE

WASHINGTON - This morning at a stop in Portsmouth with Congressman Sununu, U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Mel Martinez announced that Dover, Portsmouth and Rochester, will receive more than $1.6 million in federal assistance to stimulate local economies, promote affordable housing and help homeless families and individuals.

"The Community Development Block Grant Program is one of the most successful ways the federal government provides funding for economic development and housing programs to communities across the nation," Martinez said. "For nearly 30 years, CDBG funds have built and rehabilitated homes, fueled business development to create jobs, and improved the overall health of our nation's communities. Instead of trying to impose a one-size-fits-all program on every locality, CDBG funds programs designed by each individual community to best meet unique local needs."

"Through the CDBG funding, the Bush Administration has made a commitment to support important housing and economic development priorities in Portsmouth, Rochester and Dover. I thank Secretary Martinez for his strong leadership on housing issues of importance to New Hampshire and the nation," said Congressman Sununu. "The funding and initiatives highlighted today represent a continued commitment on the part of HUD to valuable programs that will help local stimulate the economy, promote affordable housing, and help the homeless."

The funding announced today includes:

• Dover will receive $442,000 in Community Development Block Grant funds.
• Portsmouth will receive $829,000 in Community Development Block Grant funds.
• Rochester will receive $373,000 in Community Development Block Grant funds.

First awarded in 1974, Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds enable state and local governments to target their own economic development priorities. Although the rehabilitation of affordable housing has traditionally been the largest single use of the grants, the program is also an increasingly important catalyst for economic development activities that expand job and business opportunities for lower income families and neighborhoods.

HUD's block grant programs are distributed by formula around the country based on criteria including population, income levels, poverty rates and age of housing stock.

While in Portsmouth, he toured 1895 Hospital Carriage, a proposed site for elderly housing units. The final stop of the day was a tour of Davidson Landing, a complex comprised of 82 elderly housing units in Nashua.

In the past HUD has funded the Davidson Landing complex in Nashua through Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly funds to non-profit groups in the form of capital advances and project rental assistance. To be eligible for the assistance under this program a household must be classified as "very low income," which means an income 50 percent or less of the area median. Martinez has requested level funding of $783 million dollars for the Section 202 program in the FY2003 HUD budget to maintain the level of support to develop facilities like Davidson Landing.

Secretary Martinez also appeared at an event in Manchester, where he and Congressman Sununu, joined representatives of Fannie Mae as they presented Manchester Neighborhood Housing Services, an agency that helps low income people through the home-buying process, with a check for $10,000 toward the purchase of computers to enable the agency to extend its homeownership counseling program. Martinez toured the agency and recognized Domingo and Magaly Vega and Beth Jennison, new homeowners thanks to the assistance received from MNHS.

HUD is the nation's housing agency committed to increasing homeownership, particularly among minorities, creating affordable housing opportunities for low-income Americans, supporting the homeless, elderly, people with disabilities and people living with AIDS. The Department also promotes economic and community development as well as enforces the nation's fair housing laws. More information about HUD and its programs is available on the Internet.

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Note to editors: Communities that choose to receive their block grants at other times of the year are not included in today's announcement.

Content Archived: April 9, 2010