Washington, DC -- Congressman Eliot Engel announced Wednesday that the Department of Housing and Urban Development is awarding more than $67 million to communities across New York State, including those in the Bronx, Westchester and Rockland Counties.

The amounts are broken down by program with:

• Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) - $40,642,169;
• The HOME program provides for decent affordable housing - $19,238,101;
• Emergency Shelter grants - $5,891,922;
• HOPWA grants providing to benefit low-income persons diagnosed with HIV/AIDS - $2,098,332.

Rep. Engel said, “Local governments and private agencies desperately need this funding to continue helping those most in need. The economy has been difficult for too many, but especially to those who have few if any resources. In times of need, we must do all we can to help those who are down and out through no fault of their own.”

Rep. Engel said that the grants will be allocated through merit-based applications.

Annual CDBG grants enable state and local governments to develop viable urban communities by providing decent housing, and by expanding economic opportunities, chiefly for low- and moderate-income persons.

The ESG program provides annual grants to state, local, and private entities to improve the quality and number of emergency homeless shelters.

The HOME program helps to expand the supply of decent, affordable housing to low- and very low-income families with grants to state and local governments to fund housing programs.

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