MAYOR CANTRELL CONGRATULATES HOUSING AUTHORITY OF NEW ORLEANS ON RECEIVING HUD JOBS PLUS GRANT TO SUPPORT LOW-INCOME FAMILIES
NEW ORLEANS – (RealEstateRama) — Mayor LaToya Cantrell congratulated the Housing Authority of New Orleans (HANO) for securing a $2.3 million Jobs Plus Grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) that will help families living in public housing obtain employment and other quality-of-life improvements.
HUD awarded grants to seven Public Housing Authority agencies, including HANO, for a total of $14 million in support. HANO’s $2.3 million was the highest amount awarded.
“My administration embraces HANO as a top priority. I have strengthened the board leadership and charged executive management with a renewed commitment to attacking the affordable housing crisis from every angle, including jobs.”
“In my meetings with HUD, they have indicated that HANO has turned a corner for the better after decades of chronic dysfunction and mismanagement. The agency has now emerged as a national model,” said Mayor Cantrell.
“That was HUD talking the talk— this grant award is HUD walking the walk, and showing proof of their confidence in HANO, with $2.3M that will help connect our people with new job opportunities. It’s a clear indication of the progress made and the momentum we intend to build on.”
“We are thrilled to gain more federal funding that will leverage additional neighborhood and community partnerships in support of job readiness and self-sufficiency initiatives,” said HANO Executive Director Gregg Fortner. “The Jobs Plus program will give us an opportunity to enhance existing programs and develop additional programs with the anticipation of helping more of our residents gain economic sustainability.”
The Jobs Plus Initiative Program was developed to create locally-based, job-driven approaches that will increase earnings and advance employment outcomes through work readiness, employer linkages, job placement, educational advancement, technology skills and financial literacy for residents of public housing. Program participants will be connected to community supportive services that encourage self-sufficiency in partnership with the United Way, Providence Community Housing, HRI Properties, Southeast Louisiana Legal Services, Operation Shark, Backatown Coffee Shop, Youth Empowerment Project, Fidelity Bank, STRIVE NOLA and Crescent Affordable Housing with the objective of building a culture of work and making working families the norm.
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