The Office of Congressman Henry Cuellar (D-TX28) today joined the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to announce $1.6 million in grants to stimulate job growth and business opportunities in chronically underserved rural areas along the Texas-Mexico border region.  Rep. Cuellar’s Hidalgo County Outreach Coordinator, Alexis Gallegos, attended the event along with HUD Region VI Administrator, Tammye Treviño.   

“Improving the quality of life for people living in colonias has been a priority of mine both as a Texas state legislator and as a member of Congress,” said Congressman Cuellar.  “I represent part of the over 1,300 colonia communities in Hidalgo, Starr, Webb, and Zapata Counties and many people living in those areas suffer from a lack basic services that negatively impacts their quality of life.  This is especially true in regards to resources for job growth and business development.  I am very pleased to see this federal investment benefitting these areas in my district and I thank the Department of Housing and Urban Development and Tammye Treviño in particular for recognizing and working to meet the need in these communities.” 

Left to Right:  Roel Gomez - USDA Rural Development Regional Director, Alexis Gallegos- Hidalgo County Outreach Coordinator with Congressman Henry Cuellar, Desire Mendez - Grants Coordinator with Congressman Ruben Hinojosa TX-15, Tammye Trevino -HUD Regional Administrator, Celina Pena – Accion Texas Chief Program Officer, Robert A. Calvillo - AHSTI Executive Director

HUD grants will provide direct investment and technical assistance to community development lending and investing institutions that focus on affordable housing, small business and community facilities to benefit the residents of colonias.  HUD announced grants to the following organizations:

For more information on the Border Initiatives Grant, visit http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/program_offices/comm_planning/economicdevelopment/programs/rhed/bcci.