Nearly a thousand families in Mobile received help with rent and utilities as Mobile invested its pandemic recovery money toward affordable housing — an initiative experts say is much needed in Alabama’s oldest city.

Mobile spent nearly $21 million, or roughly half of its obligated State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds on housing, according to the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee.

“I think it really has a positive impact addressing what is one of the biggest challenges in our community, which is the lack of affordable housing,” said Jason Johnson, spokesperson for the city.