U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-09) today lauded the unveiling of the Heritage Community Center at Alexander Hamilton, a 271 unit public housing development made possible through a $18,400,00 HOPE VI Grant from the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

“This revitalization effort will reduce neighborhood crime and create a more integrated community with a sense of place that comes from giving families more space and having a walkable neighborhood,” said Rep. Pascrell. “In this time of economic recovery, where capital funding has been tight, projects funded with the help of federal funding are supporting the momentum we need to add jobs back to our economy. I am proud to see Paterson celebrate this type of smart economic stimulus knowing that the City is receiving the investment it deserves.”

In 2010, after Rep. Pascrell had worked to secure American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding for the demolition of the old Alexander Hamilton project, Paterson was notified that their application was only one point away from receiving a Hope VI Award. Rep. Pascrell worked closely with the Paterson Housing Authority and HUD to go over the application in order to see what areas could be improved upon.  One year later, that application was successful.

HOPE VI is a competitive HUD grants program open to housing authorities across the nation to reengineer America’s crumbling public housing system. In June 2011, Paterson received the $18.4 million HOPE VI Grant designated for the revitalization of the 12.67 acre Alexander Hamilton Development site. The HOPE VI plan will replace 498 distressed units with 271 units of new construction, including 75 units of public housing/LIHTC units, 164 LIHTC-only units, 22 HOPE VI affordable homeownership units and 10 market units.  The total revitalization effort at Alexander Hamilton is budgeted at $96,578,073.

In 2009, the Paterson Housing Authority received $4.8 million Recovery Act grant to help pay for the demolition of the old Alexander Hamilton high-rise.
Early in his Congressional tenure, Rep. Pascrell helped secure a $21.6 million HUD grant in 1997 for the Paterson Housing Authority to revitalize the Christopher Columbus Homes public housing development.

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