America Builds Jobs and Affordable Housing with Stimulus Funds

Added July 10, 2009 by Jennifer A. Freeman

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Summary: The Treasury Department announced that another almost half billion dollars will go to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to help state housing agencies with affordable housing development. The money will be distributed to non-profit organizations to hire contractors to build the affordable housing. The money from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act should help create jobs and provide affordable housing for more families.

America Builds Jobs and Affordable Housing with Stimulus Funds

The Treasury Department has announced that another almost half billion dollars will be going into the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act) to build affordable housing. With this new round of funding to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the money will be going to a few states distribute to non-profit organizations to hire contractors to build affordable housing. This funding for the Recovery Act will serve the dual role of creating jobs in these states and building more affordable housing for lower-income families.

The $486 million dollars in this most recent round of Recovery Act funds for affordable housing development will be distributed in Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Montana, New Hampshire, New Mexico, the Virgin Islands, and Vermont.

For more information read the full release below.

Treasury Announces $486 Million in Recovery Act Funds to Create Jobs, Provide Affordable Housing

With Funds from Fourth Award Round, More Than $1 Billion Obligated to Date under Innovative Recovery Program to Help Local Communities

WASHINGTON – As part of the Obama Administration's effort to create jobs and ease pressures on the housing market, the U.S. Department of the Treasury today announced $486 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act) funding to spur the development of affordable housing units in Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Montana, New Hampshire, New Mexico, the Virgin Islands, and Vermont.

"Today's announcement of housing funds demonstrates how the Recovery Act is putting our nation on the path to economic stability, one community at a time," said Treasury Deputy Secretary Neal Wolin. "This initiative will help spur construction and development, create much needed jobs, and increase the availability of affordable housing for families around the country."

The labor and housing crises in this country are deeply inter-connected. Since their peak level at the beginning of 2006, housing starts have fallen almost 80 percent. Houses currently under construction are at a 13-year low, down more than 60 percent from the peak in the first quarter of 2006. This collapse has led to severe job losses in the residential building and specialty trades sector related to housing, with employment down by nearly one-third -- a loss of over one million jobs. Such losses not only indicate significant problems in the residential construction sector, but also suggest that the need for affordable housing has risen markedly during the recession.

In response, the Treasury Department and the Department of Housing and Urban Development have been implementing new efforts designed to help families while providing important assistance to homebuilders. Specifically, Treasury has launched an innovative program that will provide more than $3 billion from the Recovery Act to put people to work building quality, affordable housing for individuals and families affected by the current crisis.

The Treasury Department will work with state housing agencies to jump start the development or renovation of qualified affordable housing for families across the country. Under this program, after meeting certain eligibility requirements, state housing agencies will receive funding to construct affordable housing developments.

Today, the Treasury Department is announcing the fourth round of recipients: $36 million in Alabama; $29 million in Arkansas; $34 million in Connecticut; $76 million in Georgia; $114 million in Louisiana; $44 million in Maryland; $51 million in Massachusetts; $16 in Montana; a second round for $17 million in New Hampshire bringing the total to nearly $28 million; $38 million in New Mexico; $20 million to the Virgin Islands; and $10 million to Vermont.

The funds announced today are the fourth round in a series of awards based on a rolling application process. The Treasury Department anticipates making similar announcements in the coming weeks. To view the terms and conditions for the Treasury application, please click here.

Recovery Act Awards for Affordable Housing Projects in Lieu of Housing Tax Credits

(in order of application submission)

Kansas Housing Resources Corporation -- $23,185,466

Ohio Housing Finance Agency -- $21,250,000

Puerto Rico Housing Finance Authority -- $99,555,290

Michigan State Housing Development Authority -- $78,310,613

Wisconsin Housing & Economic Development Authority -- $115,827,117

Washington Finance Housing Commission -- $10,979,349

New Hampshire Housing Finance Authority -- $10,289,626 (1st round – 6/4/09), $17,423,436 (2nd round – 7/10/09)

Iowa Finance Authority -- $72,772,712

Rhode Island Housing and Mortgage Finance Corporation -- $36,811,103

Maine State Housing Authority -- $4,142,789

Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority -- $164,011,126

Missouri Housing Development Commission -- $17,000,000

Tennessee Housing Development Agency --$53,035,205

DC Department Housing and Community Development -- $33,770,695

Arkansas Development Finance Authority -- $29,170,283

Virgin Islands Housing Finance Authority -- $20,246,499

New Mexico Mortgage Finance Authority -- $38,250,000

Vermont Housing Finance Agency -- $10,281,430

Maryland Community Development Administration -- $44,054,729

Alabama Housing Finance Authority -- $36,456,058

Georgia Housing and Finance Authority -- $75,952,358

Montana Board of Housing -- $15,510,979

Connecticut Housing Finance Authority -- $34,000,136

Massachusetts Dept. of Housing and Community Development -- $50,814,102

Louisiana Housing Finance Agency -- $114,065,141

Total -- $1,227,166,242

Totals may not add due to rounding

For further information on local projects, please contact:

Alabama Housing Finance Authority – Barbara Wallace, (344) 244-9200 Arkansas Development Finance Authority – Derrick Rose, (501) 682-5904 Connecticut Housing Finance Authority – Christine Schilke, (860) 571-4355 Georgia Housing and Finance Authority – Kimberly King, (404) 679-0615 Louisiana Housing Finance Agency – Jeff DeGraff, (225) 763-8800 ext111 Massachusetts Dept. of Housing and Community Development – Phil Hailer, (617) 573-1104 Maryland Community Development Administration – Jacqui Lampell, (410) 514-7704 Montana Board of Housing – Bruce Brensdal, (406)841-2840 New Hampshire Housing Finance Authority – Bill Ray, (603) 472-8623 New Mexico Mortgage Finance Authority – Leanne Holt, (505) 767-2254 Virgin Islands Housing Finance Authority – Janine Hector, (340) 772-4432 Vermont Housing Finance Agency – Cindy Reid (802) 652-3462

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