Congressman Walz Announces First Allocation of Recovery Funding

For Immediate Release
February 27, 2009

Contact: Meredith Salsbery
507-388-2149

WASHINGTON D.C. — Today, Congressman Tim Walz announced that $4,520,113 will be allocated from the Department of Housing and Urban Development to southern Minnesota. The funds, the first to be allocated from the recently-passed American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, were distributed to local housing and redevelopment authorities and will be used to modernize and develop public housing.

“I am thrilled that just two weeks after I voted for the economic recovery package we are beginning to see funds flow directly to local communities,” said Walz. “This funding will create and save jobs by investing in improvements and expansions to public housing across Minnesota.”

Dennis McCoy with Blue Earth County EDA applauded Congressman Walz’s support of the recovery package saying, “I want to thank Congressman Walz for supporting the recovery package. The quick distribution of these funds will allow our county to begin construction of a sixteen unit public housing building in Eagle Lake. This will create construction jobs in the immediate future.”

Congressman Walz plans to continue working with local government officials to ensure that this economic recovery funding gets to southern Minnesota so jobs can be created as soon as possible.

Earlier this week, the Obama Administration announced that by April 1st, 95% of Americans will see their paychecks increase because of the tax cuts included in the recovery package. In addition, just 10 days after the bill was signed, $15 billion to help with health care for children and seniors was already on the way to states.

The following agencies in Minnesota’s 1st Congressional District are receiving funds through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to use towards capital and management activities of public housing, including modernization projects.

HRA of Winona, Minnesota                                               $690,701

North Mankato Housing and Redevelopment Authority    $98,235

HRA of the City of Blue Earth, Minnesota                          $77,198

HRA of St. James, Minnesota                          $111,383

HRA of Worthington, Minnesota                                        $222,012

HRA of St. Peter, Minnesota                                             $89,461

HRA of Luverne, Minnesota                                              $92,287

HRA of Pipestone, Minnesota                                           $149,300

HRA of Fairmont, Minnesota                                            $177,922

HRA of Mountain Lake, Minnesota                                  $58,952

HRA of Sleepy Eye, Minnesota                                        $68,340

Mankato EDA                                                                 $401,365

HRA in and for the City of Albert Lea                              $304,578

HRA of Windom, Minnesota                                           $118,396

Housing and Redevelopment Authority of Austin              $745,479

HRA of Waseca, Minnesota                                           $86,394

HRA of Jackson, Minnesota                                           $124,617

HRA of New Richland, Minnesota                                  $42,603

HRA of Cottonwood, Minnesota                                    $61,244

New Ulm EDA                                                              $89,455

Olmsted County HRA                                                    $221,120

Blue Earth County EDA                                                 $160,370

Mower County HRA                                                     $42,198

Southeast MN Multi-County HRA                                 $178,961

Housing and Redevelopment Authority of Dodge            $52,810

Housing and Redevelopment Authority of Janesville        $54,732}