Hoeven, Heitkamp, Cramer: Funds Will Help Support Much-Needed Housing, Provide for Least Fortunate

WASHINGTON, DC – July 17, 2013 – (RealEstateRama) — Senators John Hoeven and Heidi Heitkamp and Congressman Kevin Cramer announced today that North Dakota will receive four awards from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) totaling over $7.5 million. The funds will come from HUD’s Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG), Emergency Shelter Grants (ESG) and HOME Investment Partnership Program.

“The development of safe, affordable housing is absolutely necessary to relieve the strain and high-costs our residents face due to North Dakota’s severe flooding and housing shortages,” said the delegation in a joint statement. “These funds will help build stronger communities, provide shelter and housing for least fortunate among us and support North Dakota’s continued economic growth.”

The awards include over $4 million in CDBG funds, about $360,000 in ESG funds and $3 million in HOME funds. These programs support a wide range of community needs, including affordable housing, emergency homeless shelters and economic opportunities for low- and moderate-income persons.

The delegation has worked to provide emergency disaster relief funds through HUD programs to address unmet needs in parts of North Dakota affected by severe flooding. As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Senator Hoeven worked to include funding for housing programs that meet North Dakota priorities in the annual appropriations bills. Following the 2011 flooding, Hoeven also worked to secure $121 million in flood recovery assistance for North Dakota through the CDBG Disaster Relief program.

Heitkamp is a member of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee. The Committee oversees federal housing policy, including HUD and the CDBG program. Heitkamp, who has spent an extensive amount of time working with North Dakota stakeholders to address the state’s housing crisis, is committed to expanding and improving the CDBG program to support North Dakota’s housing needs.

In his first month in office, Congressman Cramer voted for legislation to assist communities which experienced significant natural disasters, including additional funds for HUD’s CDBG Disaster Relief program made available to cities like Minot. As the House continues through its cost-saving appropriations bills, Cramer will continue to support housing programs targeting those most in need while giving local communities flexibility.