"This money is great news for all of Iowa. The funding will help keep families in their homes, provide counseling to homeowners, train young people in construction skills, and add jobs to an urban renewal area," Grassley said.
Sixteen Iowa communities will continue to receive funding of their Rental Certificate/Housing Choice Voucher Family Self Sufficiency program coordinator. Also, four communities will receive Housing Counseling Program awards, two organizations will receive Youthbuild grants, and Des Moines will receive a grant and loan through the Brownfields Economic Development Initiative. All money is from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Funding for the Family Self Sufficiency program promotes the development of local strategies to coordinate the use of assistance under the Rental Certificate/Housing Choice Voucher programs with public and private resources to enable participating families to achieve economic independence and self-sufficiency.
Grants awarded through the Housing Counseling Program will provide housing counseling for one year to homeowners, homebuyers, and renters.
The Youthbuild grants awarded to Des Moines Area Community College and Community Housing Development Corporation, will provide a comprehensive and integrated effort to increase the academic, leadership, and vocational skill level of young people in the program.
The Brownfields Economic Development Initiative Grant for Des Moines totals $2 million in addition to $15 million in loan guarantees. This money will be used to redevelop a 5.2 acre site located in Des Moines' Metro Center Urban Renewal Area into the Court Avenue Station Entertainment Center. The redevelopment efforts will result in 529 new jobs.
Following are the grant awards:
Rental Certificate/Housing Choice Voucher Family Self Sufficiency program coordinator:
Sioux City Housing Authority?$60,000
Fort Dodge Housing Authority?$55,262
Iowa City Housing Authority?$53,815
Central Iowa Housing Authority (West Des Moines)?$48,700
Waterloo Housing Authority?$46,990
Eastern Iowa Regional Housing Authority (Dubuque)?$45,536
Des Moines Municipal Housing Authority?$42,250
Upper Explorerland Regional Housing Authority (Postville)?$40,843
Iowa Northland Regional Housing Authority (Waterloo)?$40,575
Municipal Housing Agency of Council Bluffs?$39,515
Mid-Iowa Regional Housing Authority (Fort Dodge)?$38,000
Northwest Iowa Regional Housing Authority (Spencer)?$37,665
Southern Iowa Regional Housing Authority (Creston)?$35,723
Dubuque Housing Division?$35,261
Region XII Regional Housing Authority (Carroll)?$31,752
Northeast Nebraska Joint Housing Authority (Sioux City)?$31,500
Housing Counseling Program:
Hawkeye Area Community Action Program (Hiawatha)?$23,987
Center for A.I.D/CCCS of Greater Siouxland?$16,578
Family Management Credit Counselors (Waterloo)?$10,000
City of Des Moines (Services for Homeowner's Program)?$4,723
Youthbuild Grant:
Des Moines Area Community College?$398,391
Community Housing Development Corporation (Des Moines)?$397,595
Brownfields Economic Development Initiative:
Des Moines?$2 million grant, $15 million loan guarantees