News Release

BUSH ADMINISTRATION AWARDS $9 MILLION TO HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES

WASHINGTON - U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Steve Preston today awarded nearly $9 million to 13 historically Black colleges and universities to help revitalize neighborhoods near their campuses. Preston made the announcement at the 2008 National Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Week Conference in Washington.

"Historically black colleges and universities are anchors for economic development in their communities, and I'm pleased HUD can play a role in helping to support the neighborhoods that surround these important institutions of higher learning," said Preston. "HUD is proud of our partnership with these colleges and universities to help them improve neighborhoods, offer needed public services, and stimulate community development around their campuses."

The White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities is coordinating the four-day national conference commemorating National HBCU Week.

The following HBCU's were awarded funding:

HUD's Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Program is designed to help these institutions address pressing community development needs in their communities. These needs include neighborhood revitalization, housing, and economic development, and other programs that benefit low- and moderate-income families.

The HBCU grantees awarded funding today will carry out a broad range of community and economic development activities that will help to stabilize their communities and cultivate redevelopment of residential and commercial properties. In addition, HBCU grants can be used to acquire real estate; to demolish abandoned housing; to help provide homeownership assistance; to support job training and placement; and to rehabilitate residential, commercial or industrial buildings to correct code violations.

Since 1991, HUD has awarded approximately $147 million to stimulate economic and community development in the neighborhoods surrounding the HBCUs. The HBCU Program is one of several initiatives administered by HUD's Office of University Partnerships (OUP). Established in 1994, OUP is a catalyst for partnering colleges and universities with their communities in a shared search for answers to pressing urban problems. More information about OUP and its programs is available on the Internet at www.oup.org.

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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, and 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.

Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU)
Program Summaries

Alabama

Miles College (Birmingham)
$700,000

Dr. George T. French, Jr. President

Miles College intends to use its Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) grant to create and strengthen the capacity of the Miles College Community Development Corporation (CDC) to address ongoing community and economic development needs in the campus neighborhood, including commercial and residential property acquisitions, and rehabilitation, and/or reconstruction improvements. The university proposes to achieve this by: acquiring/rehabilitating one commercial property; acquiring/ rehabilitating five existing unoccupied housing units; providing six owner-occupied emergency housing rehabilitation grants; capacity-building for the Miles College CDC; and offering homeownership and financial literacy training workshops (36 each). The success of this proposal will be evidenced by an immediate increase in the number of decent and affordable housing stock available to LMI and first-time homebuyers; improved and more livable owner-occupied units; and overall improvement of the immediate campus community of Miles College.

Alabama A&M University (Huntsville)
$700,000

Dr. Beverly Edmonds, Interim President

Alabama A&M University (AAMU) intends to use its Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) grant to expand its role and effectiveness in addressing housing and community development needs in north Huntsville, Alabama. The University plans include: continuing a neighborhood housing program in Edmonton Heights (a CDBG target neighborhood adjacent to the campus); assisting the AAMU Community Development Corporation (CDC) in expanding homeownership and housing opportunities for low-wealth residents; and implementing a civic engagement/service learning program to build the capacity of nonprofit organizations to address issues in northwest Huntsville low-wealth neighborhoods.

Stillman College (Tuscaloosa)
$700,000

Dr.Ernest McNealey, President

Stillman College intends to use its Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) grant to complete its Revitalization and Economic Development Initiatives in West Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The college will acquire a parcel of property adjacent to the campus to construct two affordable homes and rehabilitate existing substandard homes. Simultaneously, the college will work with the current Community Partnership Committee to assist in demolishing and cleaning up blighted sections of the targeted neighborhood and promote economic development through job training, job search and job placement which will lead to employment, and home ownership.

Arkansas

University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff
$700,000

Dr. Lawrence A. David, Jr., Chancellor

University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB) intends to use its Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) grant to expand the university's Economic Research and Development Center's (ERDC's) role in improving the community in which it is located. The project is structured to provide for the long-term revitalization of University Park through housing, business development, and community empowerment programs. All of the project's activities will focus on the developmental needs of the low- and moderate-income residents, youth, and adults of the target community of Jefferson County, Arkansas. The University Park Community Revitalization Initiative Phase III represents a coordinated effort of UAPB, the City of Pine Bluff, Targeting Our Peoples Priorities with Service (TOPPS) Inc., and Family Community Development Corporation (FCDC). The project goals are to: provide operational support to TOPPS and FCDC for community-based after-school tutorial, summer enrichment, and cultural enlightenment programs for school-aged and adult residents of the University Park Neighborhood; utilize HBCU funds to acquire property for the development of 8 single-family homes; and provide technical assistance and training to 10 small businesses that apply to the Business Retention and Expansion Program offered by the City of Pine Bluff.

District of Columbia

Howard University
$700,000

Dr. Alvin Thornton

Howard University intends to use its Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) grant to collaborate with Howard Theatre Restoration, Inc., in conducting pre-development activities for restoring the historic Howard Theatre; create the "Legends of Shaw Boulevard" Banner Project, in partnership with Shaw Main Streets, creating and installing 170 banners to "brand" the community as a shopping and cultural destination; expand a Façade and Technical Assistance program, together with the Development Corporation of Columbia Heights, to strengthen local businesses in the Pleasant Plains neighborhood located just to the west of the campus; and overcome barriers to accessibility by installing a wheelchair lift for the second floor of its community facility in Pleasant Plains, with assistance from the Emergence Community Arts Collective (ECAC). Through this rehabilitation, and by adding additional Howard University volunteers to provide training in financial literacy and the arts, Howard University will enhance the opportunities, financial stability, and well-rounded cultural experiences for low- to moderate-income individuals, especially seniors and disabled residents who have not been able to avail themselves of ECAC's offerings due to inaccessibility.

Georgia

Savannah State University
$700,000

Savannah State University intends to use its Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) grant to expand its role and effectiveness in addressing community development in Savannah by partnering with the City of Savannah to accomplish key redevelopment goals in the HUD-approved West Savannah Neighborhood Revitalization Strategy Area. The three initiatives proposed will help level the playing field by providing opportunities, information, and support for low- and moderate-income families and youth who want to advance and break the cycle of generational poverty. Activities proposed by the University will focus on empowerment and asset-building the Micro-Business Advancement Center; the Youth Advancement Center; and the Family Advancement Center. These three centers will be located within walking distance of each other in West Savannah and will offer convenient access to the services provided for neighborhood residents. The overall goals of the projects are to: increase the number of individuals choosing to establish businesses in the West Savannah target area; increase family and individual financial well-being; connect area youth and adults to business and job opportunities; and remove some of the barriers to economic advancement for area youth and adults.

Louisiana

Southern University and A&M College (Baton Rouge)
$700,000

Kofi Lomotey, Chancellor

Southern University and A&M College intends to use its Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) grant to provide affordable housing for low- to moderate-income (LMI) persons; implement an entrepreneurship training and business start-up program for LMI persons; and provide technical assistance to a community-based development organization for infrastructure development. This project will positively impact the residents of the target area, providing increased access to homeownership, increase minority-owned small and emerging businesses, and improve services provided by area community based development organizations, resulting in a better quality of life for LMI families. Additionally, this project will continue to strengthen the bonds between Southern University and surrounding community-based and faith-based organizations, increasing the capacity of each to better serve the LMI persons residing in the target area surrounding the university.

North Carolina

North Carolina Central University (Durham)
$695,077

North Carolina Central University (NCCU) intends to use its Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) grant to establish its Building Minority Ownership Project (BMOP), which will address the low rates of homeownership and business ownership, and organizational capacity gaps that impede efforts of community and faith-based groups in the 11 impoverished census tracts surrounding the campus in Durham, North Carolina. BMOP will significantly expand activities initiated by the 2002 Community Economic Development Initiative (NCCU-CEDI). NCCU will construct two houses near the campus, enabling homeownership for two low-income or very-low-income families.
NCCU-CEDI Entrepreneurship Center will continue to offer Basic Business Skills, Business Plan Development, and Bankers Panel Preparation courses developed for microenterprises with the university's 2002 HBCU grant. The NCCU Department of Public Administration will create the Social Entrepreneurship Resource Incubator (SERI) to educate, enable, and empower nonprofit community- and faith-based organizations and their leaders, which actively advocate for the area's rehabilitation of housing and elimination of neighborhood problems. SERI will provide research and technical assistance in the structuring and the application of community inspired innovative solutions, for example implementing technologies such as GIS and social networking. The specific projects are: (1) hold four social entrepreneurship workshops, and (2) coordinate three specific client driven technical assistance and research projects. Looking forward, SERI will create a development plan for organizational and physical infrastructure to support social entrepreneurship that meets grant funding and industry collaboration requirements.

North Carolina A&T State University (Greensboro)
$698,531

Dr. Stanley Battle, Chancellor

North Carolina A&T State University (NCA&TSU) intends to use its Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) grant to establish, stabilize, and expand small and minority-owned businesses. By collaborating with the university's Interdisciplinary Center for Entrepreneurship and E-Business, NCA&TSU will provide a business education and mentoring program designed to move the entrepreneur from idea to implementation and successful management; increase the capacity of the university's BEST Center to assist small businesses; provide micro loans for program tenants and graduates to be used as working capital; and offer a "Young-Preneurs" initiative, which proposes to encourage entrepreneurship as a viable option for disadvantaged youth. The university will also partner with the faith-based and service community by providing a sub-award to Malachi House Inc., a grassroots, faith-based organization that offers transitional housing, vocational training, and education for males recovering from substance abuse and related issues. Finally, NCA&TSU will implement a dual initiative focused on the development of vocational skills that lead to employment through a certificate program in Construction Trades. Also, by collaborating with Housing Greensboro, program graduates will assist in the rehabilitation and repair of single-family owner-occupied homes.

Winston-Salem State University
$700,000

Carol David, Esq

Winston-Salem State University (WSSU) intends to use its Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) grant to purchase and renovate an office building, add new tenants, lease space below market rate to low- and moderate-income entrepreneurs and provide them with technical assistance for the WSSU School of Business and Economic Center for Entrepreneurship.

South Carolina

Voorhees College (Denmark)
$700,000

Dr. Cheveland Sellers, President

Voorhees College intends to use its Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) grant to develop the leadership capacity of low- and moderate-income (LMI) persons in the Denmark community; conduct housing rehabilitation and development for LMI citizens; and assist in the creation and expansion of microenterprises. The primary goal of the proposed project is to expand Voorhees College's role and effectiveness in addressing community development needs in Denmark and surrounding areas of Census Tract 9601. Financial readiness for LMI citizens has been a barrier to homeownership for the last decade. The objectives of the proposed project are housing development with a strong emphasis on homeownership through a Lease-to-Own Program, job creation and training through the Micro-Enterprise Center and One Stop Career Center.

Virginia

Virginia University of Lynchburg (First-Time)
$600,000

Dr. Ralph Reavis, Sr., President

Virginia University of Lynchburg intends to use its Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) grant to expand its capacity to deliver community development services to the highly distressed and predominantly Black Fairview Heights neighborhood in urban Lynchburg, Virginia. Through the proposed Virginia University of Lynchburg Community Development Project, the university will engage in two activities that contribute to neighborhood revitalization in the target area Fairview Heights. In their first proposed activity, the university will build and sell a total of two new affordable, quality homes to low- to moderate-income people who seek homeownership. In their second activity, they will rehabilitate three deteriorating homes owned and occupied by low-income persons, at no charge to them.

West Virginia

West Virginia State University (Institute)
$700,000

West Virginia State University intends to use its Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) grant to continue and expand its role in the economic redevelopment of a blighted area in Charleston, the capital city of West Virginia. This project specifically seeks to: renovate the 5,000 square feet of un-used basement space at the HUD-funded Economic Development Center into two full-service commercial kitchens and training facility to provide start-up food businesses with critical access to a production facility that presently does not exist within reasonable distance to the service area; develop a microenterprise training program for the food industry and strive to serve 28 new food businesses within the grant period, utilizing staff and faculty from the university; and partner with the local community and technical college on the development of a culinary arts degree and workforce development initiative.