Pasco County was awarded $225,000 today by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to make large-scale improvements to its public housing units.
The money is part of a $48.4 million award to Florida, and $1.8 billion nationwide through HUD’s Capital Fund Program, which provides annual funding to approximately 3,100 public housing authorities to build, repair, renovate and modernize public housing in their communities. These housing authorities, according to a release, use the funding to do large-scale improvements such as replacing roofs or make energy-efficient upgrades to replace old plumbing and electrical systems.
“This funding is critically important to public housing agencies as they work to provide the best housing possible for their residents,” HUD secretary Shaun Donovan said in a release. “While the funding we announce today will never be enough to meet the tremendous backlog of capital needs, HUD will be working closely with Congress to expand efforts to generate approximately $6 billion in private investment for the recapitalization of public housing.”
The nation loses 10,000 public housing units each year, primarily due to disrepair. A 2011 study estimated that 1.1 million public housing stock in the United States are facing an estimated $25.6 billion in large-scale repairs. Unlike routine maintenance, capital needs are extensive improvements required to make housing decent and economically sustainable, according to a release, such as replacing roofs or updating plumbing and electrical systems to increase energy efficiency.
Regional awards went to:
* Brooksville Housing Authority – $146,541
* Clearwater Housing Authority – $755,513
* Housing Authority of the City of Lakeland – $526,714
* Housing Authority of the City of St. Petersburg – $760,467
* Pasco County Housing Authority – $224,594
* Tampa Housing Authority – $5.1 million
* Tarpon Springs Housing Authority – $232,889
