FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Liz Lubow

March 4, 2003 Amy Hagovsky

202-228-1122

FREDERICK TO RECEIVE ALMOST $16 MILLION IN FEDERAL FUNDING TO RENOVATE TWO DISTRESSED PUBLIC HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS

Mikulski and Sarbanes Wrote Letter to HUD Secretary Urging him to Fund Project

U.S. Senators Barbara A. Mikulski and Paul S. Sarbanes (both D-MD) and Frederick Mayor Jennifer Dougherty today announced that the City of Frederick has won a $15,889,376 federal grant to transform the John Hanson and Roger Brooke Taney apartments into a new affordable housing community with a park and community center. Senators Mikulski and Sarbanes wrote a letter to Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Mel Martinez in January expressing “strong and enthusiastic support” for the Frederick housing project (letter attached).

The $15.8 million in federal funds is being awarded through HUD’s HOPE VI community grant program (see www.hud.gov/offices/pih/programs/ph/hope6/). Senator Mikulski created the HOPE VI Program over 10 years ago to transform public housing into livable communities.

“Since my days on the city council in Baltimore, I have fought to build livable communities – places where families can live, play, work, shop and pray,” said Senator Mikulski. “That's why I created HOPE VI.  I'm happy to be a partner in the rebuilding of these communities in Frederick.  This grant is not just about building housing units.  It's about creating new hope, new opportunity, new ways to empower people and new community growth.”

“This is a significant win-win for the City of Frederick and for those in need of quality housing,” said Senator Paul S. Sarbanes. “The City will be able to leverage this $15 million in funds to also provide jobs and other economic development opportunities while, at the same time, transform two dilapidated public housing eyesores into healthy, mixed income communities. I commend Mayor Dougherty and all those who have worked so hard to bring this project to a successful funding completion.”

“The Hope VI grant will make a difference in Frederick – it will mean proper housing, the creation of jobs, the expansion of training opportunities and added responsibility,” said Mayor Dougherty. “Senator Mikulski and Senator Paul Sarbanes have been extremely supportive of the City of Frederick’s project and took time to visit Frederick last summer to learn more about the project. They offered their advice and support to help make this application a success.”

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Currently, the John Hanson and Roger Brooke Taney apartments consists of 146 severely distressed barracks-style public housing units built between 1941 and 1959. The units have no air conditioning and outdated heating, hot water, electrical, gas, storm drainage and water systems. These properties also constitute the city’s only crime “Hot Spot” with a high rate of drug arrests.

The $15.8 million federal grant, as well as $71 million in public and private funds, will be used to demolish these public housing units and redesign the site as a new affordable housing community. The new housing will consist of 30 public housing rental units and 65 homeownership units on the original site. An additional 186 affordable units will be built on five additional mixed-income sites in the City. The planned units will allow two-thirds of the current households to remain in, or return to, the site or immediate neighborhood.

In addition to the new housing, the City of Frederick has donated adjacent property for development of a park and a 7,500 square foot community building on North Market Street for the new residents.

Senator Mikulski serves as the Senior Democrat on the Veterans, Housing and Independent Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee, which funds HUD and HOPE VI projects. Senator Sarbanes is the senior Democrat on the Banking, Housing and Urban Development Committee, which authorizes funding for HUD.

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