HUD AWARDS $3 MILLION TO NATIVE HAWAIIAN AND ALASKA NATIVE COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES

WASHINGTON - U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan today awarded $3 million to four Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian colleges and universities to help revitalize neighborhoods, promote affordable housing and stimulate economic development in their communities. The funding announced today is provided through HUD's Alaska Native/Native Hawaiian Institutions Assisting Communities (AN/NHIAC) Program (www.oup.org/programs/aboutANNHIAC.asp).

"Today we make an important investment to improve the economic health of Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian communities," said Donovan. "Beyond the tremendous influence these colleges and universities have in molding young minds, they can also be a powerful force for community and economic revitalization."

The following Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian colleges and universities were awarded funding:

For an institution to qualify under this program as an Alaska Native Institution, at least 20 percent of the undergraduate student enrollment must be Alaska Native. At least 10 percent of a school's undergraduate population must be Native Hawaiian to qualify as a Native Hawaiian Institution. In addition, all institutions must be a two- or four-year institution and fully accredited by a national or regional accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

HUD's grants are not intended to directly benefit these colleges and universities but will help these institutions undertake a wide variety of activities, particularly those that benefit low-income persons. These activities may include:

• Acquiring property;
• Demolishing blighted structures;
• Rehabilitating homes, including cleaning up lead-based paint hazards and making modifications that improve accessibility;
• Improving public facilities such as water and sewer systems;
• Providing downpayment and closing cost assistance to low- and moderate-income homebuyers;
• Offering assistance to small businesses, including minority-owned enterprises;
• Assisting community-based development organizations to carry out neighborhood revitalization; and
• Supporting public services such as job training, child care, fair housing, and housing counseling.

The Alaska Native/Native Hawaiian Institutions Assisting Communities Program is one of several initiatives administered by HUD's Office of University Partnerships (OUP). Established in 1994, OUP is a catalyst for partnering colleges and universities with their communities in an effort to address pressing local problems. For more information about HUD's partnership with institutions of higher education, visit HUD's website (www.oup.org/).

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HUD's mission is to create strong, sustainable, inclusive communities and quality affordable homes for all. HUD is working to strengthen the housing market to bolster the economy and protect consumers; meet the need for quality affordable rental homes: utilize housing as a platform for improving quality of life; build inclusive and sustainable communities free from discrimination; and transform the way HUD does business. More information about HUD and its programs is available on the Internet at www.hud.gov and espanol.hud.gov. You can also follow HUD on twitter @HUDnews, on facebook at www.facebook.com/HUD, or sign up for news alerts on HUD's News Listserv.

Alaska Native/Native Hawaiian Institutions
Assisting Communities Grantees

University of Alaska Fairbanks, Kuskokwim Campus
$749,597

The University of Alaska Fairbanks, Kuskokwim Campus (KuC) intends to use its Alaska Native/Native Hawaiian Institutions Assisting Communities (AN/NHIAC) grant to fund activities for their "Project-Intentional Change for Community Betterment." This project is a collaborative venture among KuC, Yupiit Piciryarait Cultural Center (YPCC), State of Alaska Court System's Bethel Therapeutic Court (BTC), Regional Adult Basic Education (ABE) Center, Yuut Elitnaurviat (YE-The People's Learning Center or the regional vocational-technical training center) and Tundra Women's Coalition (TWC-the regional domestic violence and sexual assault prevention and victims service organization). The Women who come to TWC are among the most underserved and impoverished residents of rural Alaska. This partnership will assist between 250 to 300 individuals and more directly benefit approximately 100 participants who will build basic job skills and enter the workforce. Growth opportunities will include careers in culinary arts, computers/internet, retail, hospitality industry, construction trades and small business planning to develop economic sustainability while maintaining personal and cultural dignity. Those who complete the program will gain the confidence to enter the job market or start small businesses of their own.

University of Alaska Fairbanks, Bristol Bay Campus
$734,597

The University of Alaska Fairbanks, Bristol Bay Campus intends to use its AN/NHIAC grant to implement its "Harvesting and Caching Resources for Bristol Bay." This program assists lower income Alaska Native and community residents to address development needs in their geographically isolated rural villages. Economic development activities undertaken by this program will concentrate in three primary areas: Assisting small businesses/microenterprises; offering academic and vocational services for youth and adults; and energy conservation. Activities will occur at the main campus in Dillingham or in a village-based learning center. Traditional and local craft fairs will generate opportunities for local residents to sell their wares and receive instructions on developing business opportunities. Minority-and women-owned small businesses and young entrepreneurs will be the target audience for this economic development program. Activities in academic and vocational readiness will involve 6th - 12th grade students from four local school districts to give them a jump start on employment and/or achieving their academic goals. Selected youth will participate in leadership programs developed in partnership with two faith-based organizations and one community-based organization. In addition, adult participants will receive job training for Alaska's high demand jobs in areas such as welding, carpentry, and weatherization. Other youth and adults will participate in a vocational program developed that will support a "Training to Apprenticeship to Job" model with school districts, local businesses and Alaska's Department of Labor as partners.

Windward Community College
$799,318

Windward Community College intends to use its funding to respond to numerous threats to the natural environment and Hawaiian fishponds in Kane'ohe Bay. In partnership with the Pacific American Foundation (PAF), Windward plans to: Purchase Waikalua Loko Fishpond; demolish and clear hazardous structures; and implement an educational and cultural program to enhance stewardship and preservation of the Waikalua Loko Fishpond. All activities are designed to provide a stronger sense of stewardship of the land and preservation of the Native Hawaiian culture.

University of Hawaii at West Oahu
$716,488

The University of Hawaii at West Oahu will use its HUD grant to assist in the construction of a resource center and funding of programs "to improve the well-being of the community." The resource center will be located in the Hale Makana O Nanakuli housing project. The housing facility will be located in the rural community known as the Wai`anae District, in a neighborhood called Nanakuli, which is largely made up of Native Hawaiians. The primary objective of Hale Makana O Nanakuli is to provide affordable long-term rental housing for families leaving the Wai`anae emergency shelter and/or transitional housing programs. The facility will serve not only the housing project residents, but the entire Wai`anae District and be used as a learning center to: educate and assist families in obtaining financing to purchase homes; teach financial literacy and provide tax preparation assistance; teach life management skills, such as drug rehabilitation, job rehabilitation, anger management, and other programs; teach health and fitness to the community; and inform and promote college education to high school students and their parents.