The Albert Lea Housing and Redevelopment Authority announced Monday it has been awarded an additional $58,000 for 2010 for its Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program. The program provides rental subsidy assistance for eligible families renting through an HRA-approved private landlord.

HRA Executive Director Jon Ford said the additional funding will allow the HRA to lease an additional 10 units of Housing Choice Voucher housing assistance to families on its waiting list.

Ford said the waiting list has been closed off and on during the last year because of increased costs created by loss of household income for many of the participating families.

The waiting lists for the HRA affordable housing programs have more than doubled in the last 18 months and have beaen slow in turning over because of limited funding.

The HRA has a contract with HUD to provide HCV funding in Freeborn County that allows the agency to provide 155 units of HCV assistance. Ford said because of the limited funding and higher need in the area that the HRA has only been able to lease up 145 of these units and that the additional funding will allow them to serve the 10 remaining units. According to Ford, more than 95 percent of the families participating through the Section 8 HCV program are working families, elderly and disabled families.

For more information about the HCV program, interested individuals can contact the HRA office at 377-4375 or by stopping in the office at 800 Fourth Ave. S., Albert Lea.