News Release

HUD ANNOUNCES OVER $4 MILLION FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT IN THE CITY OF CAMDEN

NEWARK - Housing and Urban Development Secretary Alphonso Jackson today announced that the City of Camden will receive $4,732,709 to promote a variety of community development and affordable housing programs. HUD funding will also assist individuals and families who might otherwise be living on the streets. Jackson also announced grants to provide real housing solutions for individuals with HIV/AIDS.

"This funding helps breathe new life into neighborhoods," said Jackson. "By helping communities to improve their infrastructure or assisting families to purchase their first home, HUD is helping improve neighborhoods from the ground up."

The funding announced today includes:

• $ 2,874,342 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds;
• $ 1,123,849 in HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME) funding;
• $ 124,518 in Emergency Shelter Grant (ESG); and
• $ 610,000 for Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA).

Since 1974, HUD's Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program has awarded approximately $120 billion to state and local governments to target their own community development priorities. CDBG is one of HUD's oldest and most flexible and popular programs. The rehabilitation of affordable housing and construction of public facilities and improvements have traditionally been the largest uses of the grants, although CDBG is also an important catalyst for job growth and business opportunities. CDBG funds are distributed by formula around the country based on a community's population, poverty, the 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 780,000 affordable housing units, including over 329,000 for new homebuyers. In addition, over 164,000 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 $1 billion in HUD grants awarded by competition, helps thousands of local homeless assistance programs to help those who would otherwise call the streets their home.

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.

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 as well as enforces the nation's fair housing laws. More information about HUD and its programs is available on the Internet at www.hud.gov and espanol.hud.gov.

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