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Apply for HUD Secretary’s Award for Excellence by July 2
 Entries are being accepted for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s HUD Secretary's Award for Excellence that recognizes innovation and design excellence in public and private efforts that expand homeownership opportunities for lower-income families.
The registration deadline for award is Monday, July 2. Entry notebooks are due by Monday, July 16.
The award is part of the 2007 Best in American Living Awards (BALA) competition — the nation’s foremost residential design competition. Co-sponsored by Professional Builder magazine and NAHB, winners will be announced during the 2008 International Builders’ Show, Feb. 13 to 16, in Orlando, Fla.
The HUD Secretary’s Award for Excellence recognizes those who, through local partnerships, design, develop and build creative affordable housing for families whose incomes do not exceed 80% of the area median income (AMI).
Winners of the award demonstrate design excellence, affordability, innovation in building technology, removal of regulatory barriers and community revitalization.
HUD Award Requirements
The award submission requirements include:
- Homes completed or for which the first model opened between May 1, 2006 and July 15, 2007 are eligible.
- In developments with multiple unit types, the affordable unit must be identified and its locations throughout the development must be denoted.
- Each submission must include a written design statement that illustrates how the project embodies design excellence and exhibits innovation.
- The submission also must include a written financial statement describing the financing structure of the development —funding sources and uses, mixed-income makeup and families served.
Download an Application
For details on the HUD category and to download the HUD award’s application, visit www.huduser.org/research/secaward.html.
AMI Information
For more information about the AMI in your area, visit www.huduser.org/datasets/il.html. The award also considers the median home price of the metropolitan statistical area (MSA) for reference.
For more information about AMI, MSA and other HUD category requirements, e-mail Andrea Vrankar at HUD, or call her at 216-522-4058 x7128.
 BALA Competition Information
The BALA design competition is open to builders, architects, designers, developers, land planners and interior designers.
The awards program includes 36 categories — from single-family attached and detached in a variety of sizes to rental developments and custom homes plus categories for interior design, communities and neighborhoods, affordable housing, smart growth and the HUD Secretary’s Award for Excellence.
For BALA category and registrations, click here.
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