AID grant to The Cooperative Housing Foundation for a project entitled cooperative neighborhood improvement and job program for Central America

The Cooperative Housing Foundation (CHF) will implement the project. Specific project elements are to: (1) provide institutional support grants and TA to strengthen local private sector organizations" capacity to implement activities; (2) provide capital assistance to finance specific activities, including community improvement programs to upgrade services such as water systems in squatter settlements and rural villages, self-help shelter programs (home improvement loans, core housing), and the development of centers and small businesses for building materials production and distribution; (3) mobilize local resources for low-income self-help shelter; (4) develop training programs and systems for use by local organizations in training community leaders; (5) conduct workshops and conferences; and (6) demonstrate less expensive methods of producing shelter and community services. Illustrative targets are: 53 community improvement projects; 2,155 home improvement loans; 756 self-help housing units; 76 building materials production centers/businesses; 20 technical service organizations receiving TA; 40 short-term trainees; and 12 workshops. CHF will work through private, nonprofit organizations (e.g., housing cooperative and credit union federations and PVO"s) to implement the project. Specific activities will be implemented by grassroots democratic organizations, such as neighborhood and housing cooperatives, which encourage broad participation in decisionmaking.