State receives $1.2M in federal funding

As part of a $60 million nationwide initiative by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Missouri has received $1.2 million to aid the efforts of the state's public housing agencies.

Funding will be used to retain or hire service coordinators to work with families participating in the HUD Housing Choice Voucher program. Coordinators for the program - which assists low-income families, the elderly and the disabled with affording housing - will help voucher recipients find employment and job training opportunities, according to a news release.

Local recipients of state funding include H.A.S. Properties, the housing authority of Springfield, which was chosen to receive $26,825, and the Jasper County Public Housing Agency, which was awarded $27,774.

“In today’s economy, it’s never been more critical to help families obtain the skills that lead to jobs,” HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan said in the release. “With HUD’s help, these housing agencies will be able to assist families in finding employment, increasing their earning potential and putting them on a path to self-sufficiency.”[[In-content Ad]]