For immediate release

Hispanic-Serving Institutions in five states
awarded new community development grants

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) applauds the awarding of $6.9 million in new community development grants to 12 Hispanic-Serving Institutions in Arizona, California, Colorado, New Mexico and Texas.

The new grants from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Hispanic-Serving Institutions Assisting Communities (HSIAC) program will bring new services, technology, affordable housing help, education programs and business development opportunities to predominantly Hispanic neighborhoods served by 10 HACU-member colleges and universities and two additional HSIs.

“Hispanic-Serving Institutions, which already serve the largest concentrations of Hispanic higher education students in the United States, are also at the forefront in community outreach and service to the country’s fastest-growing Hispanic population centers,” said HACU President and CEO Antonio R. Flores.

“HACU applauds the leadership of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for supporting the vital work of our HSIs with this important new funding to help them build a better future for our country’s youngest and largest ethnic population,” Flores said.

The 10 HACU-member higher education institutions receiving new HSIAC grants announced this month by HUD are:

Two additional HSIs awarded grants are Santa Ana College in California ($600,000) and the University of New Mexico-Taos ($600,000).

HACU represents more than 390 colleges and universities that collectively serve more than two-thirds of all Hispanic higher education students in the United States, as well as an international membership of leading higher education institutions in Latin America and Spain. HSIs have a student enrollment that is at least 25 percent Hispanic.

HACU and its allies will promote substantial funding increases for HUD’s HSIAC program and other federal programs for HSIs for future years when the national leadership of the Hispanic higher education community convenes in Washington, D.C., April 2-5, 2005, for HACU’s annual Capitol Forum on Hispanic Higher Education.

This year’s HSIAC grant awards will fund an array of community development projects for the 10 HACU-member colleges and universities receiving these new resources.

In Arizona, Central Arizona College will use its HSIAC grant to establish a career and business development center and provide job training and business start-up support to unincorporated neighborhoods called colonias.

California’s Allan Hancock College will use its funding to expand a community center to house adult education classes, a community education technology center, an expanded sports field and lifelong learning resources. Imperial Valley College will provide new workforce development, case management, vocational training, job placement and other needed services to colonia residents near the California-Mexico border. West Hills College in Lemoore will expand an Early Childhood Education Center.

In Colorado, Adams State College will transform a vacant building into a community and business development center with access to the Internet, volunteer mentors and assistance for nonprofit organizations. Otero Junior College will open a center with a computer lab, conference room and access to affordable housing help and business start-up services.

In New Mexico, the Dona Ana Campus of New Mexico State University will expand the reach of a community learning center to provide new work readiness, micro-enterprise and education services. Northern New Mexico Community College will develop educational and ancillary services targeting the staff and inmates of a county detention center.

In Texas, the Houston Community College System will provide home ownership training and counseling, as well as small business services, in a project engaging local government, faith-based and community-based partners. The University of Texas at El Paso will focus on the need to provide energy-efficient, affordable housing through the funding of housing assistance, grants and supporting housing assistance publications.

For more information about HACU, contact HACU’s national headquarters in San Antonio, Texas, at (210) 692-3805, Ext. 3214. Or visit www.hacu.net.

For more information about the new projects funded by HUD's HSIAC program, administered through HUD's Office of University Partnerships, visit www.oup.org/about/hsiac.html.