Friday, Aug 5 2011 7:39AM

NeighborWorks America awarded $34.9 million in grants to more than 100 nonprofit organizations affiliated with the group to fund rehabilitation projects for affordable housing units nationwide.

The Capital Funding for the Rehabilitation of Affordable Housing grants will help small- and medium-size nonprofit organizations finance rehabilitation lending for owner-occupied properties, rental housing and single-family homes. Additionally, the funding should help jump-start local economies by creating more than 1,000 jobs.

"We thank Congress for their ongoing support of nonprofit small businesses that address affordable housing needs and create jobs in our nation's communities," said NeighborWorks America CEO Eileen Fitzgerald. "Through the grants announced today, thousands of rental and owner-occupied homes will be rehabilitated — many using energy-efficient and green construction — which will create healthier homes for families and strengthen communities."

In addition to funding repairs and upgrades for affordable housing units throughout the nation, NeighborWorks America also recently provided financing for foreclosure counseling.

In June, the group awarded $67 million to more than 100 organizations through the National Foreclosure Mitigation Counseling Program.

Rural Community Assistance Corporation (RCAC) is a National U.S. Housing and Urban Development housing counseling intermediary with a network of counseling organizations serving clients throughout the western United States. NeighborWorks awarded the California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA) $3,185,375.

RCAC administers the contract for CalHFA. Service delivery and understanding and complying with the reporting responsibilities that come with receiving federal grants can be time-consuming, costly and overwhelming. Having an experienced intermediary organization administer the grant greatly reduces the burden and helps ensure successful grant performance.