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HUD AWARDS HOUSING ASSISTANCE GRANT TO VOLUNTEERS OF AMERICA TO HELP VERY LOW INCOME PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES
Volunteers of America praised for its commitment to high-quality affordable housing

Portland, Maine - U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Regional Director Kevin Keogh today announced a $327,200 grant to the Volunteers of America to acquire and rehabilitate a six-bed group home in Portland for people with chronic mental illness.

The funding is part of $740 million awarded nationwide under HUD's Section 202 and 811 programs.

The Section 811 program provides housing for households with one or more very low-income individuals who have a disability. The program allows people with disabilities to live independently in their community by increasing the supply of rental housing coupled with the availability of supportive services. Similarly, the Section 202 program provides supportive housing for low-income seniors.

During the announcement, Keogh also recognized Volunteers of America for its commitment to providing seniors and people with disabilities with affordable housing in Maine. Volunteers of America is not only one of the nation's largest nonprofit providers of high quality affordable housing for the elderly and people with disabilities, but also is the largest grantee in the last decade under HUD's 202/811 program in northern New England.

In Maine, VOA has built 238 units of housing for low income seniors using HUD grants totaling $17 million. Another 30 units are planned for low income seniors and people with disabilities using HUD grants totaling more than $1.7 million. Nationwide, Volunteers of America owns and operates more than 200 affordable housing communities in 31 states that are home to more than 20,000 people.

"Our elderly and people with disabilities should never have to worry about having a place to live," said Keogh. "We are proud to partner with the Volunteers of America, which does a tremendous job of providing decent, safe and affordable housing - something that HUD is very committed to."

The announcement took place at the Bayview Heights senior housing community, which was constructed using a $4.8 million grant under the Section 202 program.

VOA President Charles Gould said, "Bayview Heights is an outstanding example of how Volunteers of America is working with communities across America to help meet the critical need for affordable housing. We are delighted to be recognized for our efforts to provide low-income families, seniors, and people with disabilities with housing and services they can afford."

Volunteers of America is a national, nonprofit, spiritually based organization providing local human service programs and opportunities for individual and community involvement. Volunteers of America served more than 1.7 million people last year. For more than 100 years, Volunteers of America has provided help for at-risk youth, abused and neglected children, homeless individuals and families, seniors and the elderly, and people with disabilities. For more information about Volunteers of America, visit www.VolunteersofAmerica.org.

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