Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, announced Monday that Iowa City would receive approximately $1.2 million for affordable housing, according to a press release.

The funding will go toward quality housing in the city through the Community Development Block Grants and HOME grants supplied by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Harkin is a senior member of the appropriations subcommittee that funds the federal agency.

The roughly $1.2 million comes from $603,944 from the Community Development Block Grants and the $596,069 from HOME funding.

“Access to quality and affordable housing is a deep-rooted value in our country and one of the cornerstones of the American Dream,” Harkin said in the release. “I am pleased to announce this funding that will provide better access to housing in Iowa City.”

— by Ariana Witt