Utah gets grants to help homeless

Utah will receive nearly $12.5 million for housing needs — an annual infusion to help the homeless and low-income people get into homes.

Four grants include a Community Development Block Grant of more than $7.5 million that is distributed throughout communities based on population, income levels, poverty rates and the age of an area's housing stock.

While rehabilitation of housing typically dominates CDBG spending, other uses include community projects such as helping senior centers, youth and child-care centers, parks and recreation and accessibility projects designed to help people with disabilities.

A little more than $4.2 million will be used to produce affordable housing for low-income people. In Utah, that money is integrated into the Olene Walker Housing Loan Fund, which targets the production of large units such as three- or four-bedroom apartments.

Nearly $600,000 will be funneled through Emergency Shelter Grants, which are administered by the state and used to assist homeless families and individuals . Some of the money also goes toward emergency food network programs.

The Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS grant of $120,000 is distributed based on the number of AIDS cases reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The grant provides rental assistance to AIDS sufferers and their families.