[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 131 (Friday, September 11, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1263-E1264]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     HONORING THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION OF BROWNSVILLE

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. FILEMON VELA

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, September 11, 2015

  Mr. VELA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the important and 
meaningful work that the Community Development Corporation of 
Brownsville has carried out in the lower Rio Grande Valley over the 
past four decades.
   Since 1974, the Community Development Corporation of Brownsville 
(CDCB), a 501(c) (3) community housing development organization, has 
been successfully working to utilize collaborative partnerships that 
create sustainable communities across the Rio Grande Valley. The 
partnerships have helped ensure quality education, model financing, 
efficient home design, and superior construction.
   CDCB is the largest non-profit producer of single family housing in 
Texas. In 2014, CDCB built 125-plus homes, assisted 178 families, 
created 375 jobs, and added $4.6 million to the local economy as well 
as $2.5 million in additional tax revenue.
   One of the CDCB's latest housing development projects, known as La 
Hacienda Casitas in Harlingen, Texas, was designed and constructed with 
the help of local contractors, non-profits, and businesses. This 
project adopted new construction designs that will work to mitigate 
flooding and erosion that all too often plague the area. La Hacienda 
Casitas is a model for housing programs across the nation.
   For more than 10 years, CDCB's YouthBuild program has been opening 
doors for 16- to 24-year-olds in Brownsville, Texas, helping them 
develop life skills and prepare for future careers. By providing 
opportunities in construction, community service, education and 
leadership development, the YouthBuild program is preparing students to 
excel and adapt to diverse workforce opportunities in their 
communities.
   The RAPIDO Project, a pioneering $2 million project funded by 
federal and state post-Hurricane Dolly funds, is a new approach to 
traditional disaster recovery housing. This project will help those who 
have lost their homes move into new ones in a matter of weeks, rather 
than living in a Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) 
trailer for an unknown period of time. The RAPIDO Project brings 
together architects, urban planners, developers and project managers, 
from throughout the state, in an effort to help redefine disaster 
recovery housing that is affordable and efficient.

[[Page E1264]]

   In 2015, the CDCB was awarded the Energy Star Certified Homes Market 
Leader Award for 80 homes they built last year. The organization 
received the Maxwell Award of Excellence and the Federal Home Loan Bank 
System Community Partnership Award. CDCB has also been recognized with 
the State of Texas Housing Finance Special Achievement Award, and in 
2013 the organization was awarded the Highest Cumulative kW Savings 
Award by American Electric Power Texas.
   In July 2013, CDCB became a member of the national Neighborworks 
Network, an organization focused on supporting housing organizations in 
bettering their communities.
   During the past 40 years, the Community Development Corporation of 
Brownsville has helped many families in the Rio Grande Valley achieve 
the American dream of owning a home. Mr. Speaker, I thank you for the 
opportunity to recognize the Community Development Corporation of 
Brownsville, led by Nick Mitchell-Bennett, for outstanding, innovative, 
and important work in the Lower Rio Grande Valley.

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