WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development this week awarded more than $2.7 billion in funding to nearly 2,900 public housing authorities (PHAs) in all 50 states, as well as the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands to make capital investments in their public housing units.
New York PHAs were awarded nearly $675 Million. PHAs in the Capital District were awarded $11,334,166.
“Every family deserves a safe place to live and HUD’s Capital Fund Program enables public housing authorities to improve, maintain, and upgrade existing housing,” said Stephen Murphy, HUD Deputy Regional Administrator for New York and New Jersey, in a statement. “Repair and improvements ensure affordable homes will last, providing a haven to thousands of low-income individuals and families across New York State.”
The grants are provided through HUD’s Capital Fund Program, which offers annual funding to all public housing authorities to build, renovate, and/or modernize the public housing in their communities. Housing authorities can use the funding to complete large-scale improvements such as replacing roofs or making energy-efficient upgrades to heating system and installing water conservation measures.
For more than 80 years, the federal government has been investing billions of dollars in developing and maintaining public housing, including providing critical support through the Capital Fund grants announced this week.
The New York City Housing Authority garnering just over $600 million in the Fiscal Year 2021 Capital Fund allocations. The remaining near-$75 million was spread across the rest of the state and included $800,833 for the Saratoga Springs Housing Authority. Other area agencies included: Albany Housing Authority $4,285,965; Glens Falls Housing Authority $455,377; Schenectady Municipal Housing Authority $2,738,957; and Troy Housing Authority $439,316.
