Oberstar announces grants for transit, domestic violence victims

WASHINGTON - Congressman James L. Oberstar announced today that the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Transit Administration has awarded a grant for $271,764 to Minnesota's Department of Transportation.  The funding will be used to purchase land in Forest Lake.

"This grant will enable local officials to purchaseland for a park-and-pool lot in Forest Lake.  The 200 spaces in this new lot will allow for the expansion of transit service to include local, regional and intercity busing services, along with commuter rail or BRT serving the Rush Line Corridor Transitway," said Oberstar.  "With gas prices increasing, it is a reminder to us that we need to encourage alternative modes of transportation.  This grant will make it more convenient for residents in the Forest Lake area to utilize transit services offered along the Rush Line Corridor."

Additionally, the U.S. Department of Justice's Officeon Violence Against Women has awarded $175,000 to Advocates Against DomesticAbuse (AADA) in Aitkin and $174,955 to Itasca County.  The funding will be used for transitional housing for victims of domestic violence.

"In 2003, Congress passed legislation to create a newprogram for transitional housing assistance grants for victims of domesticviolence and their children.  Its goal is to provide assistance to minors,adults and their dependents who are homeless or in need of transitional housingas a result of fleeing a domestic violence situation.  This program isespecially important in areas where emergency shelter or other crisisintervention services are unavailable or insufficient," said Oberstar.  "Notonly will this funding be useful to help domestic violence victims findshort-term or long-term housing, but it will also help them pay for associatedcosts, such as utilities, transportation, counseling, and childcare services."  

"AADA's Transitional housing program provides womenwith the time to work towards the goal of becoming self sufficient in a safe andstable environment," said Lisa Hamilton, AADA's Executive.  "This TransitionalHousing grant will allow AADA to meet the needs of many battered women who wouldotherwise be homeless or forced to return to a violent relationship.  We alsowill be able to strengthen our community connections, improve opportunities forhousing for battered women and increase the number of transitional housing unitsavailable to victims of domestic violence."