RALEIGH – June 17, 2008 – Commerce Secretary Jim Fain today announced that Alamance and Hoke counties each recently received $250,000 in Community Development Block Grants for housing development. Each grant will help fund the installation of infrastructure such as water and sewer lines, flood and drainage, and street improvements for 14 single-family homes. All of the families benefiting from these projects are of low and moderate income.
Funds will go to Habitat for Humanity of Alamance County to support the development of the Ben Court Subdivision and to the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina for the Cheraw Acres Subdivision in Hoke County.
“Housing and community infrastructure are basic needs for our residents across the state,” said Fain. “Our community development program is designed to enable communities to build stronger neighborhoods and better opportunities for our citizens.”
In addition, three communities received a total of $224,900 in CDBG capacity building funds. Capacity building awards help non-profit organizations hire staff, and design and carry out CDBG initiatives such as infrastructure improvements, community revitalization and the development of affordable housing. Non-profits frequently don’t have the staff or expertise to administer CDBG projects. These funds change that, building their capacity to undertake these activities.
Onslow County and the City of Sanford each received $75,000 to assist the East Carolina Community Development Corp. and Brick Capital Community Development Corp., respectively. The funds will pay for staff and training in connection with the development of affordable housing.
In addition, the City of Lexington received $74,900 to assist the Lexington Housing Community Development Corp. The funds will pay for staff and training to aid in the development of a community revitalization project.
CDBG funding is allocated to the state from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The N.C. Department of Commerce’s Division of Community Assistance administers the program for the state.
Communities seeking more information about the CDBG award program and how to apply for grants can visit the Department of Commerce’s Division of Community Assistance website at:
http://www.nccommerce.com/en/CommunityServices/CommunityDevelopmentGrants/index.htm.
