The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced this week that it will award a total of $5.5 million to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) for the establishment or strengthening of Centers of Excellence (COE) to conduct housing and community development research. This move is aimed at promoting economic opportunity for both students and the communities they serve, said Secretary Marcia L. Fudge.

Texas Southern University and North Carolina A&T University are the two HBCUs that will receive the awards.

Texas Southern University, located in Houston, Texas, has been granted $3 million to expand the Center of Excellence for Housing and Community Development Policy Research (CEHCDPR). The research will focus on issues related to individual and community wealth building, housing security and stability, planning, and infrastructure inequity affecting underserved communities.

North Carolina A&T State University, located in Greensboro, NC, will receive $2.5 million to establish a center that will research the production of affordable housing, renewable energy, sustainable communities, homeownership, and post-disaster recovery.

The funding will help HBCUs expand their efforts to provide opportunities for underserved communities and strengthen community development. According to Secretary Fudge, the partnership between HUD and HBCUs will expand the voices in the housing research space to support strong communities, build affordable housing, create job opportunities, revitalize neighborhoods, and promote homeownership.

“HBCUs create economic opportunity both for their students and throughout the communities they serve. At HUD, we are proud to partner with HBCUs to expand the voices in the housing research space to support strong communities, build affordable housing, create job opportunities, revitalize neighborhoods, and promote homeownership,” said Secretary Marcia L. Fudge.