Washington, DC (March 17, 2006) – Congressman Rubén Hinojosa (TX-15) today announced that the Office of Rural Community Affairs (ORCA) has awarded Cameron County with two Texas Community Development Block Grants totaling $1 million to enhance the living conditions in colonias, including Sierra Alto Colonia by providing accessibility to first-time public sanitary sewer service. 

“Providing resources directly to communities that need assistance to improve the overall quality of life of its residents must continue,” said Congressman Hinojosa.  “This money is crucial for infrastructure and economic development of colonias, some of the poorest communities in Cameron County.  I will continue working with federal and local authorities to preserve Community Development Block Grant funding, a vital program for low- and moderate-income neighborhoods.”

The funds were made available from appropriations for the Community Development Block Grant Program of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).  This program is administered for the state of Texas by ORCA through the Texas CDBG Program. 

In February, the President sent his proposed budget for FY07 to Congress.  The budget included cutting CDBG funding by 20 percent – from $3.7 billion to $2.945 billion.

“At a time when we need to maintain funding for CDBG and low-income housing programs, especially in the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, it’s a mystery to me that programs people rely upon to get back on their feet face such drastic cuts,” said Hinojosa.  “I will continue fighting to maintain funding for this, and other rural and low-income, housing projects.”