(Washington, DC) Congresswoman Corrine Brown announced today that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has awarded multiple housing grants that will benefit the city of Jacksonville. "These are incredibly important grants for our community and I applaud the partnership that HUD has made with our local agencies," Brown said. The following awards were announced:

The Cathedral Foundation of Jacksonville received a Service Coordinator Grant for $120,100. The program provides funding to assisted housing owners to employ a Service Coordinator for an initial period of three years. This staff person links elderly or non-elderly people with disabilities, who reside in eligible housing, to the community-based supportive services they need to continue living independently in their homes.

The City of Jacksonville:

Received a grant in the amount of $217,339 for a new approach to anti-drug program for eligible multifamily developments: a program that provides grant funds to 1. Augment security, 2. Assist in the investigation and prosecution of drug related criminal activity in and around housing developments; and 3. Provide for the development of capital improvements directly related to the security of the developments. The funds will be used to compliment crime and drug prevention activities, to increase police presence and patrols as well as a partner with community-based organizations to eliminate and drug-use in the neighborhood.