HUD money going to area housing projects

May 8—By GREG JORDAN

Bluefield Daily Telegraph

BLUEFIELD — Housing authorities in southern West Virginia and Southwest Virginia are among the many entities across the nation sharing more than $3 billion of federal funding that will be spent on improving the public housing that many people call home.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, also known as HUD, awarded $3.17 billion Tuesday in Public Housing Repair funding to 2,756 public housing authorities in all 50 state including cities and entities in southern West Virginia and Southwest Virginia.

One of these recipients, the Housing Authority of the city of Bluefield, was awarded $508,337, according to the HUD announcement.

The city housing authority was closed Tuesday and unavailable for comment.

Across the state line in Virginia, the Cumberland Plateau Regional Housing Authority, which serves Tazewell, Buchanan, Dickenson and Russell Counties, was awarded $895,502.

Keith Viers, Cumberland Plateau's executive director, said the money will be spent on making capital improvements to the authority's existing properties.

West Virginia was awarded $19,026,502 of this HUD Public Housing Repair money. Specifically, public housing authorities can spend this funding for developing, financing, modernization, and management improvements of public housing developments.

More of these HUD grants were awarded to other public housing authorities across West Virginia. Recipients in southern West Virginia included: — Housing Authority of Raleigh County, $162,669. — Housing Authority of the City of Beckley, $716,629. — Housing Authority of the City of Mount Hope, $435,668.

HUD Public Housing Repair grants were also awarded to other housing authorities in Southwest Virginia. The recipients included: — Wytheville Redevelopment & Housing Authority, $739,207. — Abingdon Redevelopment and Housing Authority, $103,565.

"At HUD, our mission is to create strong, sustainable, inclusive communities and quality homes for all," said HUD Acting Secretary Adrianne Todman. "Today's grant funding is a necessary investment that will not only ensure that the homes offered in public housing fit the needs of its residents, but it will also strengthen neighborhoods for generations to come."

"As we contemplate the lasting imprint of federal investment in public housing, we acknowledge its profound influence on communities across the nation," said HUD Regional Administrator Matthew Heckles. "Today signifies yet another milestone in our joint endeavor to guarantee secure, eco-friendly, and respectable housing for every American."

The grants announced Tuesday were provided through HUD's Capital Fund Program, which offers annual funding to all public housing authorities to build, renovate, and/or modernize the public housing in their communities. Housing authorities can use the funding to complete large-scale improvements such as replacing roofs or making energy-efficient upgrades to heating systems and installing water conservation measures.

For more than 80 years, the federal government has been investing billions of dollars in developing and maintaining public housing, including providing critical support through the Capital Fund grants announced Tuesday.

Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@bdtonline.com

Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@bdtonline.com