HUD Awards Des Moines $328k Annually For Affordable Housing

From the City of Des Moines:

DES MOINES, IOWA — Thursday, Dec. 19, 2019 — It is a fitting announcement for the holidays. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has awarded the City of Des Moines $328,277 annually in housing vouchers for Polk County residents. Chris Johansen, director of Community Development for Des Moines said HUD’s Mainstream Voucher Program will be a substantial and much-needed boost for the metro’s homeless community.

“This marks the first time HUD has awarded Des Moines this important program, and its impact will be felt throughout Polk County,” Johansen said. “The infusion of 60 housing vouchers every year will go a long way in providing affordable housing and alleviating a burden for dozens of our homeless residents.”

HUD’s Mainstream Voucher Program targets assistance to non-elderly persons with disabilities who were previously homeless and are currently living in permanent supportive housing or rapid rehousing programs. Johansen said the new federal vouchers will, in turn, add capacity for 60 more homeless residents in housing programs throughout Polk County.

As administrator of the program, Des Moines will begin issuing Mainstream Vouchers on July 1, 2020 with the application process starting next spring. For additional information, please contact the Des Moines Municipal Housing Agency (DMMHA) at (515) 323-8950 or go to Housing Services at dsm.city.

About the Des Moines Municipal Housing AgencyThe mission of DMMHA is to provide quality affordable housing opportunities within Des Moines and Polk County, and to facilitate, where possible, self-sufficiency for its clients.

DMMHA provides Public Housing rental units for qualified low-income families and administers the Section 8 rental assistance program for Polk County. These programs are funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and administered by DMMHA, the Housing Services Board, and the Municipal Housing Governing Board (Des Moines City Council).

This press release was produced by the City of Des Moines. The views expressed here are the author’s own.