
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 28, 2007
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FHLBank of Dallas Awards $8 Million in Affordable Housing Grants; West Jackson CDC Receives $336,000 Grant through BankPlus DALLAS,
TEXAS, June 28, 2007– The Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas (Bank) awarded $8
million in Affordable Housing Program (AHP) grants to 54 projects located in
Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico and Texas. The AHP grants
will help create or renovate 1,259 housing units. AHP grants
are used to purchase, construct or rehabilitate single-family, transitional and
multi-family projects for very low- to moderate-income
families. “The
Bank recently awarded $8 million in affordable housing grants, which are
awarded twice a year to our member institutions, enabling them to make a
positive impact in their local communities. We have now awarded over $169
million in affordable housing grants since the program began in 1990,”
commented Bruce Hatton, Vice President, Director of Community Investment.
AHP
Grant Awarded to West Jackson Community Development Corporation The mission
of West Jackson Community Development Corporation (CDC) is to facilitate the
redevelopment of the West Jackson area surrounding the campus of Jackson State
University (JSU) through the development of programs and activities that
address the rapid increase of unemployment, drug use, teen pregnancy, and the
physical decay of the area. Their vision for a positive change in the
community is being realized through its partnership with BankPlus, a local
member bank. Through
BankPlus, the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas awarded a $336,000 AHP grant for
West Jackson CDC’s program to improve the local area through housing
renovations. The AHP grant awarded to West Jackson CDC will be used to
rehabilitate 24 existing properties in the JSU campus area that have
deteriorated over the past several decades. The properties to be
rehabilitated include 12 owner-occupied homes in need of major repairs, and 12
homes donated by JSU. Linda Carter,
Executive Director for West Jackson CDC stated, “We are grateful to BankPlus
for its dedication and hard work which resulted in the Federal Home Loan Bank
of Dallas AHP grant. Their commitment to making decent, safe and
affordable housing available to low- to moderate-income families really made
the difference in earning this grant, which will greatly impact dozens of
families’ lives in Jackson.” BankPlus’
commitment to the revitalization effort is recognizable by its newly
constructed full-service bank facility located adjacent to the JSU
campus. The new BankPlus branch serves both the campus and local
community through its affordable housing, minority business and community
development personnel and also encourages student traffic by providing an
internet lounge. “We are
excited about the opportunity to partner with West Jackson CDC and the Federal
Home Loan Bank of Dallas. By utilizing our individual strengths, we can
collectively make a major difference in the lives of the families in our
community. Homeownership is the backbone of a strong community and this
rehabilitation grant will not only assist in strengthening housing, but more
importantly in strengthening families,” remarked Mark D. Ouellette, Vice
President and Director of Affordable Housing for BankPlus. West
Jackson CDC is one of many community success stories that the Federal Home Loan
Bank of Dallas has assisted through its member institutions. Thus far in
2007, the Bank has awarded the following amounts in affordable housing grants,
listed by state: Summary
by State - Arkansas: $1,191,288
for 197 housing units
- Louisiana:
$1,706,900 for 242 housing units
- Mississippi:
$1,647,202 for 195 housing units
- New Mexico: $661,000
for 98 housing units
- Texas: $2,800,000
for 527 housing units
By statute,
the Bank returns 10 percent of its profits each year to the communities served
by member institutions in the form of AHP grants. In 2006, the Bank
awarded $17.5 million in grants to 123 projects that created or renovated 3,523
housing units and has awarded more than $169 million in grants since the
program began in 1990. Information about the program is available in the
Community Investment section of the Bank’s website at
www.fhlb.com/community/ahp/. About Federal
Home Loan Bank of Dallas The Federal Home
Loan Bank of Dallas is one of 12 district banks in the FHLBank System created
by Congress in 1932. The Bank, with total assets of $53.3 billion as of
March 31, 2007, is a member-owned cooperative that supports housing and
community development by providing competitively priced loans and other credit
products to approximately 900 members and associated institutions in Arkansas,
Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico and Texas. For more information, visit
the Bank’s website at www.fhlb.com. About
West Jackson CDC The
West Jackson Community Development Corporation (West Jackson CDC) is a
501(c)(3) non-profit organization, which serves as an entity for
community-based leadership and the revitalization of the community surrounding
Jackson State University. About
BankPlus BankPlus,
with total assets of more than $1.8 billion, has 61 banking offices in 34
Mississippi communities. In addition to its Belzoni Main Office, other
BankPlus offices are located in Bentonia, Brandon, Byram, Canton, Clinton,
D’Iberville, Durant, Flora, Flowood, Gluckstadt, Hernando, Holly Bluff, Horn
Lake, Isola, Jackson, Lexington, Madison, Meridian, Newton, Ocean Springs,
Olive Branch, Pearl, Picayune, Pickens, Poplarville, Quitman, Ridgeland,
Shubuta, Southaven, Stonewall, Tchula, Waynesboro and Yazoo City. ### |  | |