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Press Release

For Immediate Release  
July 18, 2006
Contact:  Sean C. Bonyun
(202) 225-3761

Upton Announces Niles to Receive $339,000 for Community Development and Low Income Housing

Rep. has fought to fully fund CDBG program in Congress

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Congressman Fred Upton (R-St. Joseph) today announced that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has awarded a $339,271 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) to the city of Niles.  The funding will assist in the development of Niles housing and benefit the entire community.  Upton has been a strong supporter of the CDBG program and worked to ensure that the program’s funding levels are not cut for 2007.

“This $339,000 is a big win for the folks in Niles,” said Upton.  “The Community Development Block Grant program is so important to providing invaluable resources to help our local communities tackle serious challenges facing their residents.  This funding is about improving the quality of life for the residents of Niles.  CDBG is one of the most effective federal domestic programs to help revitalize local neighborhoods, and Niles is one of the program’s many success stories.”

Despite attempts over the past few years to eliminate CDBG, Congress, along with local governments throughout the nation, have consistently supported the program and successfully fought to ensure that it is funded each year.   Earlier this year, Upton voiced his strong support to fully fund CDBG to President Bush and the House Appropriations Committee.  Upton worked to restore $1.225 billion to the program in the House. 

The Bush Administration proposed to reduce CDBG funding from $3.711 billion in 2006 to $2.975 billion for 2007.  On June 14th, under the leadership of Upton and leading moderates, the House passed H.R. 5576, the Transportation, Treasury and Housing Appropriations bill, which funds the CDBG program at $4.2 billion.  This bill is currently awaiting action in the Senate.

“The city of Niles is very excited and pleased to receive this CDBG funding of $339,271,” said Niles Mayor Mike McCauslin.  “This grant will go towards a number of projects that we would otherwise not be able to do, and these projects will have a profound impact on our community as a whole.”

The Community Development Block Grant program works to ensure decent affordable housing for all, provide services to the most vulnerable in our communities, create jobs and expand business opportunities.  HUD determines the amount of each grant by a formula which uses several objective measures of community needs, including the extent of poverty, population, housing overcrowding, age of housing and population growth lag in relationship to other metropolitan areas.

“CDBG provides our communities with the vital tools necessary to help spur homeownership, housing rehabilitation, public improvements, public services, and economic development projects,” said Upton.  “CDBG is a proven program that delivers results, is valued by local leaders in Kalamazoo and throughout the nation, and has strong bipartisan support bipartisan support in Congress.  The CDBG program has been a vital tool in helping to rebuild communities for the last thirty years, and we will work to ensure that it funded for years to come.”

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