HUD AWARDS GRANT

TO NATIONAL CAPACD HOUSING COUNSELING NETWORK

 December 29, 2010  

Washington, D.C. –The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) awarded the National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development (National CAPACD) a $785,000 grant to administer a national housing counseling program targeting Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) in 10 states.  The grant is part of the $73 million program that supports HUD-approved counseling agencies throughout the country in an effort to expand and preserve homeownership opportunities, as well as provide assistance to lower income renters and tenants.  Of the 28 HUD-approved national housing counseling intermediaries, National CAPACD is the only organization focused on serving AAPI communities.

 “Many of National CAPACD’s member organizations are at the frontlines assisting AAPIs survive the current foreclosure crisis,” said Lisa Hasegawa, Executive Director of National CAPACD.  “This grant from HUD represents a significant investment in our communities and an indication of this Administration’s commitment to addressing needs in our communities that are often overlooked.”

 In the current housing crisis, the services of non-profit housing counseling agencies are more critical than ever, providing objective information about homeowner’s options for avoiding foreclosure, how to responsibly and sustainably purchase property, transitioning into rental housing and how to prevent homelessness.  Recent Census data show that homeownership rates for AAPI have been declining since 2007 and a study from the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco found that AAPI homeowners are more likely to lose their home in foreclosure than Whites and even Black/African-American homeowners.  However, AAPI families often cannot find language-appropriate and culturally-sensitive assistance to address their housing options and needs.  National CAPACD’s multilingual, nationwide network of housing counselors has become an invaluable resource for homeowners facing foreclosure and has been instrumental in providing financial education and stable housing opportunities for underserved communities.  Since its inception in 2008, the housing counseling network has grown to serve over 12 different metro areas in more than 23 AAPI languages. 

 “This support from HUD is a testament to the hard work housing counselors are doing every day to empower communities about their housing circumstances.  These resources will allow organizations to continue providing much needed housing counseling assistance to AAPI communities throughout the country,” stated Jane Duong, National CAPACD Housing Program Manager.

The HUD grant to National CAPACD will support a network of 14 local housing counseling organizations and approximately 37 bilingual and multilingual housing counselors to assist nearly 5,000 clients prevent foreclosure, purchase homes, find affordable rental housing and avoid homelessness.  For the majority of these nonprofits, this grant will be the first time that they will receive funding from HUD for their existing housing counseling services and represents a major investment in the AAPI community.  The HUD grant is matched by additional investments by numerous financial institutions, foundations and local grantmakers.

Press Contact:   Melvin Tabilas

(310)709-5191 (before 1/3/11)

(202)223-2442 (after 1/3/11)

[email protected]

In Florida Contact NANAY-CEDC, Bennie Trinidad (305) 981-3232 or Evelyn H Bruce (305) 951-5550 

 ###

NOTE:  NANAY Community Economic Development Corporation (NANAY-CEDC) , a HUD-approved counseling agency and organizational member of the National CAPACD Network, is actively involved in this grant-approved program, and will be serving the Asian American families in Florida. NANAY-CEDC  was established in 2004 as a 501(c)(3) affiliate of NANAY Inc.  to promote affordable housing, community development programs and education for low to moderate income individuals and disadvantaged families. Its current programs include first time homebuyer education, housing counseling, financial literacy, loan mitigation and foreclosure intervention. This grant will be the first time that NANAY-CEDC will receive funding from HUD for its existing housing counseling services .

 The National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development was founded in 1999 as the first national organization dedicated to the housing and community development needs of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) populations. Established by community development practitioners, National CAPACD has built a network of over 100 organizations and individuals in 17 states. that use innovative affordable housing, community development and organizing strategies to improve the well-being of low-income AAPIs. 

 # # #