Federal funds will help 125 Utah County families

PROVO (Deseret News) — The good news is in the mail.

Some 125 Utah County families who thought they were losing the federal funding that helps pay their rent will find out today or Saturday that the financial assistance will continue.

A month ago, those families were told the funding for their federal Section 8 housing vouchers would run out on Sept. 1. But thanks to an injection of $325,000 in federal funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the voucher program will remain intact.

"It is very good news," said Gene Carly, executive director of the Housing Authority of Utah County, which administers the program. "My only regret is that it had to come after people received the notice that their housing support was going to be terminated."

Carly said the program serves about 1,000 Utah County families, who pay 30 percent or more of their income toward their rent, with the federal voucher program picking up the remainder.

Utah County officials discovered the program was in trouble in late May, when HUD belatedly announced the 2009 budget.

Original Article