Community Frameworks, a regional nonprofit with offices in Spokane and Bremerton, Wash., has been awarded a $5.1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to help provide 290 low-income living units in Washington, Idaho, Oregon, and Montana.

The competitive grant is part of HUD's Self-Help Homeownership Opportunity Program, and the funds will be used to help buy land and make infrastructure improvements to make possible the construction or rehabilitation of single-family homes and multifamily structures. Affiliates of Community Frameworks will build or renovate the homes, which then will be sold to low-income homebuyers who contribute a significant amount of sweat equity to the projects. Volunteers also help build the housing, particularly for buyers who can't perform sweat equity tasks due to disabilities.

Altogether, HUD awarded $26.5 million in grants to four organizations nationwide, including Community Frameworks, Habitat for Humanity International, the Housing Assistance Council, and Tierra del Sol Housing Corp., that will help produce at least 1,500 affordable homes for low-income individuals and families.

Community Frameworks is a regional nonprofit organization serving the four states in which the living units will be added. Community Frameworks will make Self-Help Homeownership Opportunity Program (SHOP) funds available to 26 affiliates to buy land and build or make necessary infrastructure improvements that support new construction and rehabilitation. A portion of the SHOP award also will be used to administer the grant.