Several Arizona Communities to Receive CDBG Grants through Recovery Act
Washington, D.C. – September 23, 2009 – (RealEstateRama) — Congressman Raúl M. Grijalva is pleased to announce that several communities in Congressional District 7 have been awarded grants from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for public housing under the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA).
The Recovery Act made available a total of $1 billion through the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program. Over $620 million was awarded today to over 500 communities across the country, including Arizona.
CDBG enables state and local governments to undertake a wide range of activities intended to create suitable living environments, provide affordable housing and create economic opportunities.
“This is great news for the people of my district,” said Grijalva. “These grants will help our local economy and our families, who will benefit the greatest. I welcome the news for Arizona and look forward to more announcements to ensure that more families have affordable options concerning housing and economic opportunities.”
The State of Arizona will receive $3,199,456, while Congressional District 7 will receive the following:
• Avondale $132,659
• Maricopa County $588,782
• Tucson $1,657,320
• Yuma $250,802
The Recovery Act includes $13.61 billion for projects and programs administered by HUD, most of which is funneled through existing programs, such as the CDBG Grant program. Now, just over six months later, HUD has obligated, or awarded, nearly 75 percent of that funding to states and communities across the country. $10 billion out of $13.6 billion is now in the hands of grantees, available for spending.
Since 1974, CDBG has provided more than $127 billion to state and local governments to target their own community development priorities. The rehabilitation of affordable housing and the construction and improvement of public facilities have traditionally been the largest uses of CDBG funds, although the program is also an important catalyst for job growth and business opportunities. Annual CDBG funds are distributed to communities according to statutory formulas based on population, poverty, pre-1940 housing stock, growth lag, and housing overcrowding.
To view the list the full list of grantees receiving funding under this program, visit HUD’s Recovery Act website at http://portal.hud.gov/portal/page/portal/HUD/press/documents/DOC009.PDF.
