Showing posts with label Art Along the Hudson. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Art Along the Hudson. Show all posts

Friday, May 22, 2009

HUD Energy Retrofits Grants for Multifamily Housing


SECRETARY DONOVAN ANNOUNCES APPROXIMATELY $250 MILLION IN RECOVERY ACT FUNDING TO PROMOTE ENERGY EFFICIENT AND GREEN RETROFITS IN MULTI-FAMILY HOUSING

Press Release from HUD Headquarters for your information. HUD NEWS U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development - Shaun Donovan, Secretary Office of Public Affairs, Washington, DC 20410

HUD No. 09-061 FOR RELEASE Brian Sullivan Thursday (202) 708-0685 May 14, 2009 http://www.hud.gov/news/index.cfm

SECRETARY DONOVAN ANNOUNCES APPROXIMATELY $250 MILLION IN RECOVERY ACT FUNDING TO PROMOTE ENERGY EFFICIENT AND GREEN RETROFITS IN MULTI-FAMILY HOUSING

Grants and loans intended to create 'green collar jobs' and reduce energy costs

WASHINGTON - Approximately 25,000 apartment units will become more energy efficient as the result of approximately $250 million in grants and loans being offered today by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

The funding, being made available through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act), which was signed into law by President Obama on February 17, is designed to create thousands of 'green collar jobs' as workers retrofit older federally assisted multi-family apartment developments with the next generation of energy efficient technologies.

HUD's new Green Retrofit Program for Multifamily Housing ,will offer up to $15,000 per residential unit to reduce energy costs, cut water consumption, and improve indoor air quality.

Eligible applicants must already be HUD assisted, either through Section 8 project-based rental assistance or the Department's Section 202 (elderly) and Section 811 (disabled) programs. Applications for funds are being accepted beginning June 15, 2009.

"The funding that we make available today will not only improve our housing stock, but will lower energy costs and create green jobs in the process,"

said HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan.

"This Administration is working overtime to ensure that Recovery Act funding will not only jump start America's economy, but will also put us on a path toward energy independence while improving living conditions for tens of thousands of lower income families."

Grants and loans provided through this program will help private landlords and property management companies to cut heating and air conditioning costs by installing more efficient heating and cooling systems and to reduce water use by replacing faucets and toilets.

These Recovery Act funds will also produce other environmental benefits by encouraging the use of recycled building materials, reflective roofing, and low-VOC products to reduce potentially harmful 'out gassing.'

Initially, applicants will be assessed based on their financial health prior to more thorough underwriting and an physical evaluation of the property itself.

The Recovery Act includes $13.61 billion for projects and programs administered by HUD, nearly 75% of which was allocated to state and local recipients only eight days after President Obama signed the Act into law.

The remaining 25% of funds will be awarded through a competitive grant process in the coming months.

HUD is committed to implementing Recovery Act investments swiftly and effectively as they generate tens of thousands of jobs, modernize homes to make them energy efficient, and help the families and communities hardest hit by the economic crisis.

In addition, Secretary Donovan and the Department are committed to providing the highest level of transparency possible as Recovery Act funds are administered. It is vitally important that the American people are fully aware of how their tax dollars are being spent and can hold their federal leaders accountable.

Every dollar of Recovery Act funds HUD spends can be reviewed and tracked at HUD's Recovery Act website< http://www.linkedin.com/redirect?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Ehud%2Egov%2Frecovery&urlhash=am2l&_t=disc_detail_link >.

The full text of HUD's funding notices and tracking of future performance of these grants is also available at HUD's Recovery Act website< http://www.linkedin.com/redirect?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Ehud%2Egov%2Frecovery&urlhash=am2l&_t=disc_detail_link >.

Thursday, May 14, 2009

ART ALONG THE HUDSON

ART ALONG THE HUDSON KICKS OFF 6TH YEAR

RECEPTION HOSTED BY Cunneen-Hackett in Poughkeepsie, NYMay 28, 2009 6 – 8pm

Art Along the Hudson – 7 Cities, 7 Celebrations kicks off the 2009 summer season with a reception at Cunneen-Hackett, 9 Vassar Street, Poughkeepsie, NY 6:00 to 8:00 pm. In its sixth year, Art Along the Hudson continues to celebrate the arts in Kingston, Beacon, Catskill, Poughkeepsie and Newburgh plus new venues of New Paltz and Peekskill. As part of the Hudson Quadcentennial, we are celebrating 400 years of art in these seven cities with a growing new and contemporary art scene.

The reception includes light refreshments, live music and new this year, an art show by the artists from the seven cities. A program about the seven cities is scheduled for 6:45 pm. The event provides an opportunity to meet the artists and creators of this regional initiative, along with city officials actively working to revitalize their cities through the arts.

Art Along the Hudson celebrations are anchored by rotating Saturdays that spotlight each of the cities.

Kingston celebrates First Saturdays;
Beacon has Second Saturdays;
Catskill and New Paltz celebrate Third Saturdays; and
Newburgh highlights Last Saturdays, plus
Poughkeepsie and Peekskill have various art celebrations.

Although activities happen year-round in all of the participating communities, a focus of one Saturday each month helps to strengthen and build awareness of each city’s arts initiatives.

Programs feature a variety of art forms - from gallery and museum exhibits to music, dance, theatre and poetry. Special events range from sculpture exhibits, street fairs and parades, to art and history tours.

Please rsvp to info@artalongthehudson.com by May 22nd if you would like to attend the event on May 28th.For more information on this regional initiative, please visit http://www.artalongthehudson.com/

An eye-catching, four-color brochure lists the participating venues in each city, and will be available at the reception. It will be widely distributed to tourism sites throughout the Hudson Valley and beyond.