18th District Congressman Darin LaHood announced today that over $800,000 would be coming to his district for a housing voucher program. The Morgan County Housing Authority was allocated $22,991 in the funding. The funding comes from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Housing Choice Voucher Program through CARES Act funding.
The housing choice voucher program is the federal government’s major program for assisting very low-income families, the elderly, and the disabled to afford decent, safe, and sanitary housing in the private market. Since housing assistance is provided on behalf of the family or individual, participants are able to find their own housing, including single-family homes, townhouses and apartments. The vouchers are administered through local Public Housing Agencies via an application process.
LaHood says the vouchers were needed in the district due to economic hardships caused by COVID-19. In turn, the hardship is causing more families to seek low-income housing options and assistance. The funding helps the Public Housing Authorities provide budgeted money to prepare for an influx of more low income housing applications.