TEXAS (Austin Business Journal, San Antonio Business Journal) – Local governments statewide have obtained funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), notably Austin, San Antonio and Bexar County.

The capital, given $13.4 million, and Alamo City and its surrounding county, given a combined $25.7 million, are receiving grants from HUD for community development and production of affordable housing.

The City of San Antonio will receive $14.6 million in Community Development Block Grant funds; $640,466 in Emergency Shelter Grant funds; $7 million in HOME Investment Partnerships Program funding; and $1 million in Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS funding.

Separately, Bexar County will receive $1.7 million in Community Development Block Grant funding and $650,999 in HOME funding.

HOME is a federal block grant program that can be used by state and local governments to develop affordable housing.

Other local governments receiving grants include Brownsville, Edinburg, Harlingen, Laredo, McAllen, Mission, Pharr, Round Rock, San Benito, San Marcos, Victoria and Williamson County.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) – The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced Friday that its $8,000 incentive for first-time homebuyers has been tweaked from a refund at tax time to cash made available for assistance on down payments or closing costs.

The mechanics of the new program, according to National Association of Home Builders economist Robert Dietz, allow lenders to purchase tax credits from the buyers and then collect the rebate from the IRS.

Homebuyers must still come up with the Federal Housing Administration’s mandatory down payment of 3.5 percent on their own, but they can use the tax credit to lower their principal balance and save on monthly payments.

“Families will now be able to apply their anticipated tax credit toward their home purchase right away,” said HUD secretary Shaun Donovan. “What we’re doing will not only help these families to purchase their first home but will present an enormous benefit for communities struggling to deal with an oversupply of housing.”