The Iowa Finance Authority Board of Directors today (Wednesday) approved a total of more than $7.5 million in grants to 26 Local Housing Trust Funds to support local affordable housing initiatives, which will assist more than 2,000 Iowa families. The funding is provided from the State Housing Trust Fund’s Local Housing Trust Fund program. 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 to assist Iowans in home rehabilitation, financing construction of new single-family housing for low-income Iowans and supporting transitional housing and homeless assistance programs.

Here are some of the grant recipients, grant amount and what the funds will be used for, in the KJAN listening area:

• Council Bluffs Housing Trust Fund, Inc. – $198,903. The Council Bluffs Housing Trust Fund will use the grant to promote the development and preservation of affordable single-family and multifamily housing units through the financing of rehabilitation, new construction or direct assistance activities. The trust fund will also promote home buyer and tenant education.

• Council of Governments Housing, Inc. – $305,674. The grant will assist 34 low-income households through a combination of grants and low-interest loans. Eligible activities will include lead hazard remediation, owner-occupied rehabilitation, down payment assistance for home buyers and emergency relocation and foreclosure prevention assistance.* Area served: Audubon, Carroll, Crawford, Greene, Guthrie and Sac Counties.

• Southern Iowa COG Housing Trust Fund – $295,951.The grant will focus efforts on seven affordable housing activities to assist an estimated 35 households: owner-occupied rehabilitation in support of homeownership, first-time home buyer assistance,transitional/special needs housing (including assisted living), infrastructure for new development/infill housing, lead-based paint remediation, demolition and lot clearance for new construction and rental projects.* Area served: Adair, Adams, Clarke, Decatur, Madison, Ringgold, Taylor and Union Counties.

• Southwest Iowa Housing Trust Fund, Inc. – $387,014.The grant will assist an estimated 60 households by providing down payment assistance and owner-occupied and rental rehabilitation assistance to low-income households. Lead-based paint stabilization assistance will also be available to eligible households.* Area served: Cass, Fremont, Harrison, Mills, Montgomery, Page, Pottawattamie (excluding the city of Council Bluffs) and Shelby Counties.