SECRETARY CARSON KICKS OFF ENVISION CENTER DEMONSTRATION

DETROIT – U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Ben Carson traveled to his hometown of Detroit today to announce the first round of 'EnVision Center' designations in 17 communities around the nation. One of Secretary Carson's signature initiatives, EnVision Centers will offer HUD-assisted families access to support services that can help them achieve self-sufficiency, thereby making scarce federal resources more readily available to a greater number of households currently waiting to receive HUD assistance.

Secretary Carson and Detroit Mayor Michael Duggan met with public housing residents, community leaders and other stakeholders at Life Remodeled's Durfee Innovation Society, among the first group of demonstration communities named today.

"Housing assistance should be more than just putting a roof over someone's head," said Secretary Carson. "These EnVision Centers offer a more holistic housing approach by connecting HUD-assisted families with the tools they need to become self-sufficient and to flourish."

Mayor Duggan added, "EnVision Centers are about bringing services to people in neighborhoods and I am thankful that our partners at HUD chose Detroit to open the first one in the country.

Secretary Carson traveled to Inkster to break ground on another EnVision Center. Mayor Byron Nolen and members of the Inkster Housing Commission along with the community gathered for the ceremony. This new center will help make the most of the services and facilities that serve the community.

Located on or near public housing developments, EnVision Centers will be centralized hubs that serve as an incubator to support four key pillars of self-sufficiency- (1) Economic Empowerment, (2) Educational Advancement, (3) Health and Wellness, and (4) Character and Leadership.

Through results-driven partnerships with organizations such as: federal agencies, state and local governments, non-profits, faith-based organizations, corporations, public housing authorities, and housing finance agencies, EnVision Centers will leverage public-private partnerships to connect HUD-assisted households with services that offer pathways to self-sufficiency.

After the groundbreaking each demonstration community receiving the EnVision Center designation will convene with their local stakeholders and resident councils to assist in the selection of services to be offered at the Center, as a means of ensuring that many voices are heard and the needs identified are addressed. HUD will develop tools to track and measure resident outcomes of EnVision Center participants and services – the goal of which is to ensure the EnVision Centers are able to achieve and monitor progress against the goals of the program.