Department of Housing and Urban Development

The FY09 enacted budget includes $38.6 billion for the Department of Housing and Urban Development, a $3 billion increase over the 2008 appropriation. The Office of Policy Development and Research (PD&R) received $18.1 million for personnel compensation and benefits. The FY09 budget includes $58 million ($6.5 million increase) for Research and Technology contracts, grants, and expenses of programs of research and studies related to housing and urban problems.

The Community Development Fund received $3.9 billion in FY09 ($34 million above the FY08 appropriation) with $3.6 billion earmarked for the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program. Within this account, $165 million is slated for the Economic Development Initiative (EDI) to finance a variety of targeted economic investments. Additionally, $19.5 million is earmarked for Neighborhood Initiatives. The goal of this program is to improve the conditions of distressed and blighted areas and neighborhoods, to stimulate investment, economic diversification, and community revitalization in areas with population outmigration or a stagnating or declining economic base, and to determine whether housing benefits can be integrated more effectively with welfare reform initiatives.

The FY09 budget provides $6 million ($1.5 million increase) for the Community Development Loan Guarantee program for costs associated with the Section 108 Loan Guarantees.

For competitive economic development grants for Brownfields Redevelopment projects, $10 million is allocated - the same as last fiscal year.

Rural Housing and Economic Development received $26 million in FY09, $9 million above the 2008 appropriation. Of this amount, $5 million is specified to promote economic development and entrepreneurship for federally recognized Indian Tribes through activities including the capitalization of revolving loan programs and business planning and development.