THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Sunday, June 4, 1995                   TAG: 9506020231
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS      PAGE: 16   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: FROM STAFF REPORTS 
                                             LENGTH: Medium:   52 lines

HUD RECOGNIZES CITY FOR HOUSING PROJECTS HOUSING AUTHORITY PRAISED FOR EFFORTS TO PROVIDE LOW-COST HOUSING FOR POOR.

The city of Portsmouth and Portsmouth Redevelopment and Housing Authority received national recognition by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development as one of the nation's top seven performers in the HOME Program.

HOME is a federally funded, large-scale grant program established to expand the supply of decent, safe, sanitary and affordable housing, primarily rental units.

Portsmouth was recognized for committing more than 90 percent of its HOME funds, or $2,462,000, to specific projects for fiscal years 1992-1994.

These projects, governed by PRHA, included:

1. The HOME Care Program, which provided energy conservation assistance to very low income, elderly homeowners who met certain eligibility criteria. Applicants had to be at least 55 or disabled and could not have an income that exceeded 80 percent of the area's median income. Through this program, PRHA serviced 124 families.

2. The HOME/Family Self-Sufficiency Program, which provided technical and financial assistance to eligible public housing residents to help them achieve economic self-sufficiency.

This assistance included writing lease agreements, handling selection of the bid process, conducting rehabilitation inspections, monitoring work and reviewing proposals.

These families will lease with the option to purchase homes in Prentis Park, West Park View and Shea Terrace. This program eliminated five blighted properties and added to the real estate tax role.

Prior to restoration, these buildings were vacant, abandoned, deteriorated and non-tax producing. All of the homes were rehabilitated using $171,614 of HOME money.

3. The HOME Investor Program provided for the rehabilitation of substandard rental housing units and created affordable housing for low-income families. Federal HOME Program funds were used for the rehabilitation of two units in Prentis Park.

These programs improved the quality of life for residents of Portsmouth, enhanced neighborhoods, helped create additional jobs and increased the city's tax base, said Lynette P. James of PRHA.

A total of 130 loans were provided by PRHA through the HOME Program. Homeowners received assistance - such as grants for home repairs and financial counseling - through referrals from the departments of Social Services, Community Services and Environmental Services. by CNB