GULFPORT, MS - Housing and Urban Development Secretary Alphonso Jackson today approved the second phase of Mississippi's Homeowner Assistance Program to help thousands of lower income homeowners recover from Hurricane Katrina. Mississippi's plan will provide up to $100,000 to certain eligible families who lived in Hancock, Harrison, Jackson and Pearl River Counties.

In addition, Jackson gave the Department's green light to a $500 million plan to support economic development and job growth in 49 disaster-affected counties in the State.

"This is a good plan that recognizes many lower income, elderly and disabled Mississippians are still struggling to get back on their feet," said Jackson, who made the announcement with Governor Haley Barbour and other officials in Mississippi at Gulfport City Hall. "The plan we approve today will help thousands of households to plan for tomorrow and will ensure working families will still have a home in Mississippi. I'm also pleased to approve a plan that will stimulate economic development and job growth in dozens of devastated counties in South Mississippi."

TO READ THE REST OF THIS ARTICLE PLEASE CLICK ON THIS LINK http://www.hud.gov/news/release.cfm?content=pr06-154.cfm