“These grants will be a welcomed boost to the economy of South Texas,” said U.S. Rep. Hinojosa. “The funding being used for the construction and renovation of homes will not only create jobs in our communities, it will also meet the demand for public housing. I want to congratulate everyone from all of the Housing Authorities who are working very hard to help our residents in need.”
These are the housing authorities from Congressional District TX-15 and the amount they will each receive:
Beeville — $248,031
Three Rivers — $46,127
Housing Authorities like the one in Edinburg will be using their funding for the construction of new homes, renovation of older homes which will include upgrading electric utilities and plumbing. The grant funds will also be used for maintenance of parking lots, sidewalks and mailboxes.
Yes, it's a great thing for people in need of assistance, and I am a big supporter of any programs that help Americans at any level. I still worry about vandalism, and that issue aside, I thought you'd be interested to see how this has worked elsewhere.
The following is from San Bernadino County in Southern California:
Since receiving BTOP funds, the Housing Authority of San Bernardino, in partnership with the Career Institute National Federation Center, has enrolled more than 70 participants in a 12-week workforce training program. The curriculum offers training in writing cover letters and resumes, conducting online job searches, and applying for employment. Targeted to public housing residents at five public computer centers in San Bernardino County, Calif., participants can also earn an online National Retail certification. This certification, developed by the National Retail Federation, demonstrates that an individual is credentialed in customer service, sales, and retail management.
In fall 2010, the Housing Authority also hosted 15 job training classes and seven job search/resume workshops at its computer centers. BTOP funding has not only helped the Housing Authority hire nine new full-time staff, but has also helped 86 computer center users/trainees gain new jobs.
The Housing Authority also extended hours in computer labs across various community centers in the San Bernardino City Unified school district. Operated by the Top Flight Education and Sports Organization, the computer labs are open Monday through Thursday afternoon to assist more than 30 children each month with homework and other school-related projects.
I'm certain some in your part of the world will find fault with this program, but those people seem to find fault almost everywhere except within themselves.