HUD ANNOUNCES $1.5 MILLION FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN AMERICAN SAMOA

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan today announced that American Samoa will receive approximately $1.5 million to support community development and produce more affordable housing.  HUD’s annual funding will also help find homes for individuals and families living on the streets.  

This year’s block grant funding requires tough choices that we would not have made in better circumstances,” Donovan said.  “As we work under the challenges of our nation’s deficit, we must also understand that these programs are absolutely essential in promoting community development, producing affordable housing, helping our homeless and even supporting long-term disaster recovery.”

The funding announced today is for:

• Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds;
• HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME) funding;
• Emergency Shelter Grant (ESG)

Since 1974, HUD’s Community Development Block Grant(CDBG) Programhas provided approximately $132 billion to state and local governments to target their own community development priorities.  The rehabilitation of affordable housing and the improvement of public facilities have traditionally been the largest uses of CDBG although the program is also an important catalyst for job growth and business opportunities.  Annual CDBG funds are distributed to communities according to a statutory formula based on a community’s population, poverty, and age of its housing stock, and extent of overcrowded housing. 

HOME (HOME Investment Partnerships Programis 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 nearly 950,000 affordable housing units, including 403,000 for new homebuyers.  In addition, 224,000 tenants have received direct rental assistance.

Emergency Shelter Grants(ESG)provides homeless persons with basic shelter and essential supportive services. It can assist with the operational costs of the shelter facility, and for the administration of the grant. ESG also provides short-term homeless prevention assistance to persons at imminent risk of losing their own housing due to eviction, foreclosure, or utility shutoffs.

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HUD’s mission is to create strong, sustainable, inclusive communities and quality affordable homes for all. HUD is working to strengthen the housing market to bolster the economy and protect consumers; meet the need for quality affordable rental homes: utilize housing as a platform for improving quality of life; build inclusive and sustainable communities free from discrimination; and  transform the way HUD does business. More information about HUD and its programs is available on the Internet at www.hud.govand espanol.hud.gov.