The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has approved a $1.25 million operating supplement for the Vicksburg Housing Authority, the authority’s Board of Commissioners was told Tuesday.

VHA executive director Ben Washington said the housing authority will begin receiving the money in January.

The amount is more than the $684,000 the VHA received last year from HUD for operations, which covers administration, maintenance and other activities to run the housing authority. Washington said the increase is because of increased rent revenue the authority received in 2012.

He said revenue declined in 2011 because the VHA was reimbursing some residents’ utility payments under a HUD program requiring housing authorities to reimburse utility costs to residents who qualified because of income.

He said the authority is taking a closer look at reimbursement applications to make sure the applicants list all their income. He said the tighter scrutiny has reduced the number of people participating in the program, adding utility reimbursements have been reduced by $2,000 a month.

In a related matter, the board approved an amended $1.8 million budget for VHA, which includes the revised operating supplement. The initial $1.6 million budget projected a $1.06 million HUD supplement.

In other action, the board:

• Approved paying the October bills.

• Approved Washington’s report.