The Iowa Finance Authority Board of Directors recently approved grants to Local Housing Trust Funds, and counties in the area will benefit. Grants were awarded to 25 trust funds around the state to support affordable housing initiatives, which will assist approximately 2,326 families. The grant funds will be used for initiatives such as preserving aging housing stock, subsidizing local down payment assistance programs, providing low-interest loans or grants for home rehabilitation, financing construction of new housing for low-income families, supporting housing for persons with disabilities, and homeless assistance programs.

The funding for the program is provided by the State Housing Trust Fund, which was created by the Iowa Legislature in 2003. Washington and Iowa Counties are part of the East Central Iowa Housing Trust Fund, and received $247,489 in grants. Jefferson and Keokuk Counties are part of the AHEAD Regional Housing Trust Fund, which received $266,935. Henry and Louisa Counties are part of the Great River Housing Incorporated, and received $273,877, and the Housing Trust Fund of Johnson County received $255,514. All total, there were $6.2 million in grants awarded across the state.