Contact: Ernest Blazar 202-224-7627
Wednesday, May 9, 2001

WASHINGTON - Senator Kit Bond announced today that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) released $48 million to the State of Missouri to help low-income families and individuals meet their basic housing needs.

¡°This money will help thousands of Missourians,¡± said Bond. ¡°Our society shows its compassion by helping those in need of adequate shelter.¡±

Bond is chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee that funds the U.S. Department of Housing and urban Development, as well as the Veterans Department and the space agency NASA.

The $48 million grant is comprised of four different programs:

¡ö Community Development Block Grant -- $30,077,000 ¡ö HOME Investment Partnership Program ¨C $16,424,000 ¡ö Emergency Shelter Grant program ¨C $1,233,000 ¡ö Housing Opportunities for People with AIDS ¨C $448,000

HUD¡¯s announcement said that the money will be used to help the state of Missouri ¡°carry out a wide variety of programs to address the needs of low and very low income persons. Such programs include tenant-based rental assistance, housing rehabilitation, emergency shelter assistance and economic development.¡±