HUD official to make announcement

Thursday, March 4, 2004 | 2:20 a.m.

The assistant secretary of the federal Housing and Urban Development department was to be in Las Vegas this afternoon to highlight the $6.1 million that the city is getting in the latest round of Community Development Block Grant funding. The city will be able to use the federal money for projects that range from helping small businesses to repairing aging housing. Last year the city got $6.2 million in CDBG funds.

HUD Assistant Secretary Roy A. Bernardi was to make the announcement at the East Las Vegas Community Senior Center at 2 p.m.

The visit "is very special because we have a very good working relationship, the city of Las Vegas and HUD," said Ken Lobene, director of the Las Vegas HUD office. "And the assistant secretary wanted to honor those cities around the country that have those relationships."

The location of the announcement was appropriate because the center, completed in 2002 at a cost of about $8 million, "is probably the greatest project ever that's been built by CDBG funding," said Councilman Gary Reese. "When the mayor was first elected, I took him down there on a little tour and told him what I wanted to do. With his help it has been built and it's very successful," said Reese.

Mayor Oscar Goodman said the relationship with HUD is key, because of the city's continuing effort to invigorate inner city neighborhoods.

"Without HUD, all of our affordable housing efforts would be just a pipe dreams," Goodman said.