Washington—Senator Evan Bayh today announced that Northwest Indiana will receive more than $5.5 million to redevelop and revitalize neighborhoods in Gary, Hammond and Lake County impacted by the nation’s foreclosure crisis and persistent urban blight.

The funding is provided by the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP), and will offer targeted assistance to help communities acquire, redevelop or demolish abandoned properties.

“This is an important step in Northwest Indiana’s road to economic recovery,” said Senator Evan Bayh, a member of the U.S. Senate’s Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.  “These neighborhood stabilization grants will play a critical role in the revitalization of Northwest Indiana and our ongoing efforts to demolish the blighted properties that stand in the way of economic development and pose a threat to public safety.”

Senator Bayh stressed to HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan the need to address urban blight, particularly in Gary, where abandoned properties harm economic development and act as a magnet for crime. 

“Gary has been hard hit by years of economic difficulty and deserves a helping hand,” Bayh added.  “The Department of Housing and Urban Development is right to invest in Gary’s future, and I appreciate that Secretary Donovan shares my commitment to building healthier, economically sustainable neighborhoods in Gary and throughout Northwest Indiana.”
 
      Indiana received a total of $31.5 million as part of the third round of funding for the Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP 3).  Grants were awarded to the nation’s most distressed neighborhoods, as determined by factors such as the number of home foreclosures and subprime loans in a community.

The $1 billion in funding for NSP 3 was provided under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.  Senator Bayh was an advocate for including NSP3 in the final version of the bill recently signed by President Obama. 

A full list of the Indiana grant recipients is included below.

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