HUD ANNOUNCES $500 MILLION IN RECOVERY ACT GRANTS TO ADD AFFORDABLE RENTAL HOUSING, "GREEN" EXISTING PUBLIC HOUSING
Grants will increase energy efficiency, upgrade public housing and create jobs

WASHINGTON - U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan awarded $500 million in competitive grants today that will allow public housing authorities across the U.S. to build or renovate affordable rental apartments and make existing public housing units more energy efficient. The Public Housing Capital Funds being awarded today are provided through The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act). A full list of grants awarded today can be found on HUD's Recovery Act Website.

Today 134 housing authorities will receive funds to create energy efficient communities by rehabilitating existing public housing units. The agencies will have resources to install new energy efficient technologies to conserve energy, such as Energy Star appliances, high-efficiency boilers/furnaces and programmable thermostats or controls. In addition, 35 housing authorities will receive funds that will allow them to proceed with redevelopment or replacement of housing developments that were stalled because of a lack of private financing. This funding essentially fills the gap in private capital to allow work to continue.

"The grants being awarded today should give hope to families across the country that more affordable housing opportunities are on the way," said Donovan. "This Recovery Act funding will not only give housing authorities the resources they need to jump start production of affordable housing, but it will also reduce energy costs and mitigate negative environmental impacts, while creating much-needed 'green' jobs across the country."

In February, just eight days after President Obama signed the Recovery Act into law, HUD allocated nearly $3 billion in Recovery Act funding to more than 3,100 public housing authorities across the U.S. Distributed by formula, that funding is already being put to work to improve public housing and create safer, more livable environments for lower income residents.

The funding being announced today is part of an additional $1 billion in Public Housing Capital Funds designated by the Recovery Act to be awarded competitively. HUD accepted applications under this program from public housing authorities between June 22 and August 18. Grants under the program are now being awarded to public housing authorities that effectively addressed the requirements in the Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) under the following four funding categories:

Category 1 - Improvements Addressing the Needs of the Elderly and/or Persons with Disabilities: $95 million will soon be awarded to improve public housing units and create community facilities for the delivery of supportive services to this vulnerable population.

Category 2 - Public Housing Transformation: $96 million out of $100 million was awarded on September 3 to transform public housing developments that are distressed and a blighting influence on the surrounding community into newly built or renovated developments.

Category 3 - Gap Financing for Projects that are Stalled Due to Financing: $200 million of the $500 million being awarded today falls into this category, which allows PHAs to develop or renovate public housing projects stalled due to lack of resources.

Category 4 - Creation of Energy Efficient, Green Communities: $600 million is being awarded for public housing authorities to create more energy efficient public housing units. Applications were due for this category on July 21, 2009. Within this category, applicants could apply under Option 1 for substantial rehabilitation or new construction or Option 2 for moderate rehabilitation. $300 million of the $500 million awarded today fall under Option 2 of this category. Option 1 of this category was awarded September 18, totaling $300 million.

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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.