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E-Briefs from the Richmond Office of the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development

. . .DOT. . .DOT. . .DOT. . .
Going forward, e-mail addresses for HUD Richmond have replaced the “_” (underscore) with the “.” (dot). For example, to reach HUD Richmond’s Lee Jones, send the note to leland.jones@hud.gov. And “dot’s true too” for any HUD Richmond employee.

GOVBiz 2007
There’s still time to register for GOVBiz 2007 at Hampton University July 19th. Hosted by HUD and SBA, you’ll learn the “a-b-c’s” of doing good business with Federal agencies.. Register at www.hud.gov/event_registration/index_2.cfm?eventID=575.

GOOD AS GOAL-ED
New homeownership units in Waynesboro, a reclaimed industrial site in Halifax County, downtown renewal in Galax, Pound and St. Paul, housing rehabilitation in Martinsville and Greensville, Northampton, Surry and Washington counties, water and wastewater treatment projects in Dungannon and Buchanan, Pittsylvania, Tazewell and Wise counties, and new health clinics in Blackstone and Craig County are among 19 projects have won a total of nearly $10 million in Virginia CDBG grants. “Every Virginian deserves safe and affordable housing, access to clean water and quality health care facilities, as well as the ability to live in communities where they can make a decent living,” said Governor Kaine June 15th. “Every year, these grant awards help more of our communities reach those goals.”

BRIEF BRIEFS
National Association of Counties meets in Richmond July 13th to 17th. . .USDA/Rural Development selects Lavin family of Wytheville as 2007 Homeowners of the Year. . .Virginia Land Conservation Fund awards 15 grants totaling $6.2 million to protect an additional 11,540 acres. . .Visit www.arc.gov to register for Appalachian Regional Commission’s Strategies for Rural Development” Business Incubation & Clean Energy conference July 19th to 21st in Johnson City, Tennessee. . .Cameron Foundation at www.thecameronfoundation.org seeking nominations of non-profits excelling in organizational management and community service in Petersburg, Colonial Heights, Hopewell and Dinwiddie, Prince George, Sussex counties and the part of Chesterfield County south of Route 10. . .Virginia Network of Nonprofit Organizations names Deborah Barfield Williamson as its first executive director. . .Richmond Redevelopment & Housing says it’s been selected by National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials for a 2007 Award of Merit for its revitalization of a five-block area along West Cary Street. . .Congressman Virgil Goode and USDA/Rural Development announce $2.2 million in grants and loans to modernize Charlotte Courthouse’s water lines . .SBA names Mark Bogert of Intercept Youth Services in Richmond, as Small Business Person of the Year. . .U.S. Labor Department awards $24 million to prepare BRAC-affected and displaced workers in southeast Virginia for “high tech, high wage jobs”. . .Sign-up by July 3rd for Virginia Main Street Heritage Tourism training July 18th & 19th in Luray.

MAIN EVENT
DHCD has chosen Blackstone, Abingdon and Altavista as Virginia’s newest Main Street communities. Noting more than 11,500 jobs. expansion or retention of more than 4,000 businesses and more than $400 million in private investments sparked by Virginia Main Street communities Secretary of Commerce & Trade Patrick Gotschalk said they help bring “ back businesses, jobs and people” to Virginia’s downtowns. There are now 22 Main Street Virginia communities, with three - Manassas, Staunton and, most recently, Lynchburg – also cited by the National Trust for Historic Preservation as Great American Main Streets.

SPEAKING OF WHICH. . .
The Friday, June 29th Federal Register announces competition for $2.5 million in HOPE VI Main Street to help communities under 50,000 with no more than 100 public housing units in “the rejuvenation of an historic or traditional central business district” by “replacing unused commercial space” with “affordable housing.” Up to 3 grants will be awarded with applications due electronically August 29th.

QUOTE TO NOTE
“10-year plans leave no doubt about a community’s commitment to eradicating homelessness,” says The Virginian Pilot on Virginia Beach’s mew plan to end homelessness It’s “careful to incorporate the successes of other cities” while “going an additional step” by helping prevent evictions. “Homelessness probably won’t end in 10 years in Hampton Roads.” But the “drive locally shows both momentum and promise.”

LAST OF THE SUPERNOFAS
Only two grant competitions in HUD’s 2007 SuperNOFA are still open. Applications for ROSS (Resident Opportunities & Self Sufficiency) Family & Homeownership grants are due July 10th and ROSS Elderly & Disabled grants are due August 8th. For more, visit www.grants.gov

BRIEF BRIEFS TOO
Saying “staying cool is not a luxury,” Virginia Department of Social Services will accept applications for cooling assistance from eligible families with children, the elderly and persons with disabilities through August 15th. . .Richmond office of the U.S. Small Business Administration and American Red Cross host “Be Disaster Ready” workshop for small businesses July 13th in Richmond. . .Dianna Herndon named new executive director of Southside Community Development & Housing. . .Newport News Habitat to break ground for 100th house in August. . .DHCD hosting implementation workshops for winners of State Shelter, Emergency Shelter, Child Service Coordinator and Child Care for Homeless Children grants on July 10th in Newport News, July 11th in Annandale, July 12th in Roanoke, July 13th in Abingdon and July 18th in Richmond. . .Beryl Phillips of Long & Foster in White Stone named to Real Estate Board. . .HUD Richmond okays 322-unit, $38 million White Oak Apartments in Chester. . .City Council selects Kenneth Chandler as Portsmouth’s new City Manager. . .HHS accepting applications until October 5th for 12, $85,000 Rural Health Network Development Planning Grants at www.grants.gov.

HAVE A BALA!
July 13th is the deadline for the 2007 Best in American Living Award by which HUD and the National Association of Homebuilders honor “innovation and design excellence” that “expand homeownership opportunities” for families at less than 80 percent of area median income. Houses must be completed between May 1st, 2006 and July 15th, 2007. For more, visit www.huduser.org.

DON’T FORGET
NeighborWorks is holding “Beginning to Intermediate Foreclosure Prevention” training at VHDA in Richmond on July 25th and 26th. Scholarships are available at www.nw.org/network/training/homeowneship/Place-basedTrainingSchedule.asp.

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