Federal Foundation Assistance Monitor

(PUBLIC HOUSING) HUD Provides $96M in Public Housing Capital Funds

\r\nFifteen public housing authorities (PHAs) nationwide will get a chance to transform units in their portfolios as HUD awards them a combined $96 million in stimulus money through the Public Housing Capital Fund (PHCF).

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The announcement from HUD is part of $1 billion in competitive funding awarded through the PHCF as authorized in the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). The competition deadline to file applications ended Aug. 18.

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The PHCF preserves about $47 million of this money to PHAs that it deems are high performers. Five of the 15 awards tied for the top amount given, $10 million, that ceiling being set in a June supplementary notice by HUD. Those went to the Cambridge, MA Housing Authority for work on the Cambridge Affordable Presidential Apartments; the Hammond, IN Housing Authority for work on the Columbia Center; the Denver, CO Housing Authority for work at Westwood Homes; the City of Sacramento, CA for work on the Riverview Apts.; and the Seattle, WA Housing Authority to perform the third phase of continuing work at Rainier Vista.

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Close to the top award was the Chicago, IL Housing Authority, which receives $9.9 million for work at Ogden North. Baltimore City Housing Authority got two awards – one for $6.33 million and another for $2.67 million for work at scattered sites citywide. Other smaller awards go to housing agencies in Winnebago County, IL; Watertown, MA; New Haven, CT; Rutland, VT; Sarasota, FL; and Evansville, IN.

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Overall, the money is miniscule compared to the $3 billion in formula PHCF funding HUD released in late February -- barely more than a week after ARRA was signed into law -- to more than 3,100 PHAs nationwide.

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Other PHCF Awards to Come

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The $96 million award for public housing transformation is just one of four competitive PHCF categories, with the remaining three sets of awards still to be announced. The most lucrative of these is $600 million available for energy-efficiency grants that PHAs can use to make their stock more energy-efficient by performing jobs such as replacing roofing, plumbing and electrical systems.

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Also, $200 million is available to allow PHAs to develop and renovate public housing projects that were stalled due to lack of funding. And $95 million is available to improve public housing units and build facilities that will aid in providing services to the elderly and those with disabilities.

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Info: Jeffrey Riddel, director, Office of Capital Improvements, 202/402-7378

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