EVANSTON, Ill. (AP) -- U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin says the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has awarded a $18 million Neighborhood Stabilization Program grant through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to the City of Evanston.

The Illinois Democrat said Thursday in Washington that Evanston plans to rehabilitate foreclosed properties and create affordable housing in its lower-income areas.

Durbin met with Mayor Elizabeth Tisdahl last October to discuss funding for this project.

Congress created the Neighborhood Stabilization Program in 2008 in response to the nation's growing foreclosure crisis. The program provided to $3.92 billion in formula-based grants to states and localities to address abandoned and foreclosed properties.