For full story: http://www.usda.gov/2006/07/0259.xml Release No. 0259.06 Ed Loyd (202) 720-4623 Wayne Maloney (202) 690-0498 USDA ANNOUNCES $594,000 IN GRANTS TO REPAIR OR REHABILITATE LOW-INCOME HOUSING IN UNDER-SERVED AREAS Empowerment Zones And Enterprise Communities To Benefit In 6 States WASHINGTON, July 21, 2006−Agriculture Under Secretary Thomas C. Dorr today announced the award of $594,000 to organizations in six states for the repair and/or rehabilitation of 137 housing units. The organizations will use the funds to preserve individual housing, rental properties, or housing co-ops owned or occupied by very low- and low-income rural people. "This investment is targeted to help rural organizations that are working to improve housing conditions for the most economically disadvantaged members of our rural communities," said Dorr. "This is part of our comprehensive effort to help improve the quality of life for residents of rural America with the greatest need for assistance." The grants were awarded under the USDA Rural Development Housing Preservation Grant Program and will be provided to organizations in areas designated as Empowerment Zones (EZ), Enterprise Communities (EC) or Rural Economic Area Partnership (REAP) Zones. Under the EZ/EC program, communities receive funds for projects designed to provide sustainable development and economic opportunity, create community-based partnerships and promote a strategic vision for change. Communities within REAP Zones suffer from stagnant employment, low-density settlement patterns, isolation from markets, population loss or economic distress. Among the grant recipients announced today was the Northern Maine Development Commission, which will receive $91,428 and leverage $95,000 in outside funds to repair and/or rehabilitate 30 housing units in Aroostook County. The Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians will receive $66,428 and leverage $427,500 in outside funds to preserve 12 units of housing for Tribal members. The grant recipients are: State Recipient Proposed Units Amount Florida Empowerment Alliance of Southwest Florida, Inc. 15 $78,428.57 Maine Northern Maine Development Commission 30 $91,428.57 Michigan Mid-Michigan Community Action Agency 20 $91,428.57 Michigan Clare County Housing Commission 18 $61,428.58 North Dakota Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians 12 $66,428.57 Vermont Gilman Housing Trust, Inc. 14 $91,428.57 Vermont Northeast Employment and Training Organization 16 $50,000.00 West Virginia Southern Appalachian Labor School 12 $63,428.57 USDA Rural Development's mission is to increase economic opportunity and improve the quality of life in rural communities. As a venture capital entity, Rural Development has invested over $63 billion since the beginning of the Bush Administration to provide equity and technical assistance to finance and foster growth in homeownership, business development, and critical community and technology infrastructure. Over 1.1 million jobs have been created or saved through these investments. Further information on rural programs is available at a local USDA Rural Development office or by visiting USDA's web site at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov. # USDA News oc.news@xxxxxxxx 202 720-4623 ---------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, send email to mailto:webservices@xxxxxxxx?subject=UNSUBSCRIBE and reference your email address.
