HUD ANNOUNCES $152 MILLION TO SUPPORT AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT THROUGHOUT PUERTO RICO
Funding will help improve communities in Commonwealth and 27 municipalities

SAN JUAN, PR - U.S. Housing and Urban Development Deputy Secretary Roy A. Bernardi today announced that the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and 27 individual municipalities throughout the island will receive nearly $152 million to support community development and produce more affordable housing. HUD's annual funding will also assist individuals and families who might otherwise be living on the streets, and offer real housing solutions for individuals with HIV/AIDS.

"This funding helps communities build better neighborhoods from the ground up," said Bernardi. "Whether it's improving infrastructure or producing more homes families can afford, HUD grants have the potential to breathe new life into communities and make them better places to live and work."

Bernardi and Susan Peppler, HUD's Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and Development made the announcement to Resident Commissioner Luis Fortuño and a group of local mayors meeting in San Juan.

For the local distribution of the funding announced today, see attached chart. The funding announced today includes:

• $108,357,110 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds;
• 30,879,625 in HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME) funding;
• 4,818,846 in Emergency Shelter Grant (ESG); and
• 7,823,000 for Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA).
  $151,878,581 TOTAL

Since 1974, HUD's Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program has provided more than $120 billion to state and local governments to target their own community development priorities. The rehabilitation of affordable housing and the improvement of public facilities have traditionally been the largest uses of CDBG although the program is also an important catalyst for job growth and business opportunities. Annual CDBG funds are distributed to communities according to a statutory formula based on a community's population, poverty, and age of its housing stock, and extent of overcrowded housing.

HOME (HOME Investment Partnerships Program) is the largest federal block grant to state and local governments designed exclusively to produce affordable housing for low-income families. Since 1992, more than 600 communities have completed more than 834,000 affordable housing units, including 352,000 for new homebuyers. In addition, 186,000 tenants have received direct rental assistance.

Emergency Shelter Grants (ESG) help local communities to meet the basic shelter needs of homeless individuals and families. These grants also provide transitional housing and a variety of support services designed to move the homeless away from a life on the street toward permanent housing. This block grant program, along with more than $14 million HUD awarded New Orleans and Jefferson Parish by competition, helps thousands of local homeless assistance programs to help those who would otherwise be living on the streets.

HUD's Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) grants are distributed to states and cities based on the number of AIDS cases reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The grants provide resources for operating community residences and providing rental assistance and support services to individuals with HIV/AIDS and their families. In addition, the HOPWA program also helps many communities develop strategic AIDS housing plans and fill in gaps in local systems of care. A stable home environment is a critical component for low-income persons managing complex drug therapies and potential side effects from their treatments.

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