The Department of Housing and Urban Development has earmarked $58 million in grants as part of its YouthBuild Program, which offers job training and continuing education to an estimated 4,300 low-income young people.HUD said the funds will be used to help them return to school, graduate, begin new careers in various homebuilding and construction trades, and at the same time build or renovate nearly 2,000 affordable homes "for lower-income families, many facing homelessness." In addition, HUD said the grants are expected to generate millions of additional dollars from other public and private sources. HUD Secretary Alphonso Jackson said the grants are expected to help young people (of ages 16 to 24) earn their high school diplomas and "open the door to their economic futures."
