WASHINGTON D.C. – U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) today announced a new neighborhood development grant for Neighborhood Housing Services of Hamilton, Inc. in Butler County. Awarded by NeighborWorks® America, the FY2014 $159,000 grant will be used to promote and preserve affordable housing for residents of Butler County, and create or sustain jobs through local NeighborWorks-supported projects. Neighborhood Housing Services of Hamilton, Inc. is one of eight recipients of the new neighborhood development grants across Ohio totaling $1,946,500. 

“Ohio is on the frontline of the foreclosure crisis,” said Sen. Brown.  “Foreclosures hurt the credit of American families, depress local property values, and weaken communities. These funds will help families stay in their homes and prevent further damage to Butler County neighborhoods."

NeighborWorks America is a Congressionally-created partnership between community, public, and private stakeholders.  NeighborWorks provides locally-driven community development and counseling to families facing the threat of foreclosure.  Through 240 community-based nonprofit organizations, NeighborWorks helps to reduce the foreclosures that threaten neighborhoods and local economies, produce and manage affordable rental properties, and revitalize surrounding communities. 

Brown has been a long-time advocate of efforts to help revitalize communities devastated by the foreclosure crisis. He fought for the creation of the Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) in the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 and the continuation of the program in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009.  Brown also helped introduce the Community Regeneration, Sustainability and Innovation Act of 2009, which would create a new, competitive grant program within the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) targeted toward cities experiencing large-scale property vacancy.

 

# # #