IOWA CITY, IA (03/27/2014)(readMedia)-- Approximately 60 University of Iowa students will participate in the 2014 Hawkeye Caucus, held on April 2 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Iowa State Capitol in Des Moines.

The annual Hawkeye Caucus is a major gathering of UI students, university leaders, and state legislators, demonstrating the university's commitment to statewide service. The event connects UI students with state leaders while showcasing the people and programs from the UI that are making an impact across the state.

The following UI students from your area will be participating in the event:

Elizabeth Baer of Bettendorf

Mackenzie Leonard of DeWitt

Saad Ansari of Clinton

Drew Lakin of Clinton

Tyler Finchum of Muscatine

Alyson Wennlund of Bettendorf

Dexter Golinghorst of Walcott

Up to $30 Million in Federal Resources to Eliminate Blighted Properties, Provide Fiscal Boost to Neighborhoods

CHICAGO - Governor Pat Quinn today announced the U.S. Department of the Treasury will support the Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) efforts to leverage up to $30 million of its federal Hardest Hit Fund (HHF) resources to eliminate blight in communities throughout the state. Today's announcement is part of Governor Quinn's commitment to stabilize neighborhoods and return vacant properties to productive use to advance the economy.

"I thank the Obama administration for this important federal resource that will help us continue to keep our communities strong," Governor Quinn said. "Our efforts to keep people in their homes have worked to stem the tide of foreclosures across Illinois. This new program will further stabilize neighborhoods by addressing abandoned and neglected properties that lure crime and reduce property values."  

"Neighborhoods across Illinois continue to struggle with the damaging effects caused by vacant and blighted properties, which hurt home values and weaken efforts to stabilize communities," U.S. Treasury Under Secretary Mary Miller said. "The U.S. Treasury is pleased to work with the state of Illinois as they launch this new effort to eliminate neighborhood blight and strengthen communities hardest hit by the economic crisis."

IHDA will partner with eligible municipalities burdened with high vacancies to collaborate with not-for-profit organizations to implement the new "Blight Reduction Program" by this summer. This new effort builds on existing state programs targeted to help communities hit hard by the national financial crisis. With vacant properties damaging surrounding property values and fostering crime, removing vacant and blighted properties is the critical next step to preventing avoidable foreclosures and contributes to community stabilization efforts.

IHDA was awarded $445 million in federal foreclosure prevention resources under the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Hardest Hit Fund (HHF). Illinois was one of 18 states and the District of Columbia to receive HHF funding. The Blight Reduction Program will be the fourth program launched with HHF resources. The first was the Homeowner Emergency Loan Program, which has provided direct financial assistance to 12,400 homeowners in distress, allowing them to stay in their homes. Two other programs, the Mortgage Resolution Fund (MRF) and the Home Preservation Program (HPP) launched with Hardest Hit Funds provide loan modifications to underwater and delinquent borrowers. Through its partners in these programs, the State has facilitated loan modifications to 395 distressed Illinois homeowners.

In addition to these programs, the Governor:

• ·         Launched the Illinois Foreclosure Prevention Network (IFPN), a one-stop comprehensive, free resource to connect struggling homeowners with a safe and trusted source for assistance to keep them in their homes and help them from being victims of mortgage fraud. More than 1 million families have accessed this free assistance through the IFPN. Homeowners seeking assistance should visit the IFPN website athttp://keepyourhomeillinois.org/ or call the hotline at 855-KEEP-411.
• ·         Created Illinois Building Blocks program - available in 15 Illinois communities, buyers of vacant homes can access $10,000 in cash assistance to purchase a home. The program also provides funds for the re-development of vacant homes. To date, over 700 vacant homes have been purchased through this program.
• ·         Launched the Illinois Homebuyer Rehabilitation Assistance Program - $6.6 million to 16 public and not-for-profit organizations to allow 240 low- to moderate-income homebuyers of vacant homes to apply for rehabilitation grants in seven targeted communities.
• ·         Administered the Neighborhood Stabilization Program to purchase and rehabilitate 240 rental units and 106 foreclosed and abandoned homes that might otherwise become sources of abandonment and blight. An additional 29 blighted properties have been demolished.

Today's announcement providing resources for blight elimination is part of the next phase of Governor Quinn's ongoing commitment to help stabilize our communities and drive our economy forward.

"Governor Quinn's leadership has positively impacted struggling homeowners and hard-hit communities," IHDA Executive Director Mary R. Kenney said. "The Blight Reduction Program is the latest move in our holistic strategy to help neighborhoods fight the cycle of vacancy and blight and reinvigorate the economy."

For more information about these programs, please seehttp://ihda.org/.

About the Illinois Housing Development Authority

IHDA (http://ihda.org/) is a self-supporting state agency that finances the creation and the preservation of affordable housing across Illinois. Since its creation in 1967, IHDA has allocated $12.4 billion and financed approximately 240,000 affordable units across the state.

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After the invasive species is identified in nine Iowa counties, Congressman leads bipartisan push to ensure Iowa has same resources as other states  

Washington, D.C. - Rep. Bruce Braley (IA-01) today wrote congressional leaders in order to ensure that Iowa would have the same resources as other states as they combat the emerald ash borer?an invasive species that could potentially cause billions of dollars in damage in Iowa.

"Resources were available to other states when they had this problem? and now Iowans deserve the same treatment and I'm going to fight to make sure they get it," Braley said. "This beetle infestation is a significant cost for communities and homeowners across the state and it's important we fight to make sure Iowans have the help they need."

Braley has received bipartisan support for the letter, which is signed by an additional 20 lawmakers, to fight the invasive beetle now confirmed in more than 20 states and at least nine Iowa counties. States that found cases of the beetle in years past were given resources to aid in the mitigation and removal of infected trees, but federal funding has since been drastically cut, leaving states like Iowa with limited resources to combat the problem.

"Because this invasive species has continued to spread each year, this matter should be prioritized and efforts should be targeted to address the damage caused by the emerald ash borer. A failure to do so will undoubtedly result in this costly problem spreading to additional areas, and an even greater demand for financial resources in the future," Braley's letter reads.

Each infected ash tree must be removed to maintain safety on public and private land, costing roughly $1000 for the removal and disposal of each tree.  

Last month, Braley introduced legislation restoring funding to a program that helps combat the emerald ash borer. 

In January, Braley wrote a letter to Secretary Tom Vilsack at the US Department of Agriculture urging him to take the necessary steps to protect Iowa's ash trees from the beetle.

Full text of the letter is available below and HERE: