INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has given five Indiana grantees a combined $22.9 million to help families avoid homelessness or to quickly find new housing if they lose their homes.

State government will receive most of the money, $16.3 million. HUD also gave $3.9 million to the city of Indianapolis, $1.2 million to Evansville, $874,000 to Fort Wayne and $559,000 to East Chicago.

The money, part of federal stimulus funding, is designed to help people and families facing a sudden financial crisis due to the recession.

HUD provided $1.5 billion nationwide.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)