Serving Northwest Iowa for Over 35 years
Housing Program

NWIPDC provides a variety of housing related services including technical assistance, grant writing and grant administration on behalf of our member cities and counties. The following is a brief description of some of the housing services provided by the staff at NWIPDC.

Owner Occupied Rehabilitation Program

This program assists homeowners in bringing thier homes up to "Iowa's Minimum Housing Rehabilitation Standards". Homeowners must have a household income below 80 percent of the Area Median Income Limits. NWIPDC can assist member cities with the pre-application process as well as preparing the grant application for submission to the Iowa Department of Economic Development (IDED). Typical work items include: vinyl siding, roof re-shingling, window and door replacement, electrical updates, furnace replacement, insulation and reduction of lead-based paint hazards.

Rental Projects

NWIPDC can asssist cities that are working with developers to rehabilitate or construct low and moderate income rental projects. Staff can assist in securing a variety of funding services to assist in the development of an affordable financial package.

Technical Assistance

The staff at NWIPDC can assist communities with a variety of housing services. The following are some examples of the types of projects the staff has recently assisted our member cities.

  • Down Payment Assistance: These programs have been developed in communities that have identified insufficient down payments as an obstacle to homeownership for low and moderate income homebuyers. NWIPDC can assist cities in the creation and/or administration of local down payment assistance program.
  • New Construction Incentive Programs: NWIPDC staff has assisted a number of communities in our region to develop affordable new construction incentives whether it be lot development, contractor incentives, financing packages, and etc.
  • Tax Abatement Programs: The staff at NWIPDC can assist communities in establishing a Tax Abatement Program. Chapter 404 of the Code of Iowa allows cities and counties to designate an Urban Revitalization Area for the purpose of economic development. In these areas, the amount of improvemnts to the property whether it be new construction or substantial rehabilitation can be exempted from taxes for up to 10 years.
  • Housing Assessments and Market Studies: NWIPDC can assist a community or county to document its past, current, and future housing needs. The housing assessment also analyzes the current housing stock and assists the community in developing an action plan.
Housing Trust Fund

The Northwest Iowa Regional Housing Trust Fund is an independent, nonprofit organization that has been established to address the housing needs of low and moderate income residents in Buena Vista, Emmet, Lyon, O'Brien, Osceola, and Sioux Counties. This is regional trust fund will be certified by the Iowa Finance Authority in October, 2009. For more information please click Regional Housing Trust Fund.

Contacts

Ted Kourousis, Excutive Director -- Ted.Kourousis@nwipdc.org
Carol Keizer, Housing Planner -- Carol.Keizer@nwipdc.org
Sherry Zinn, Planning Technician -- Sherry.Zinn@nwipdc.org

Iowa Housing Fund

Owner-Occupied Housing Rehabilitaion

Local jurisdictions can apply to the Iowa Housing Fund to support local housing activites that benefit low to moderate-income households. Owner-occupied housing rehabilitation is an eligible use of these funds because moderate levels of rehabilitation can be cost-effective strategy for maintaining an adequate supply of affordable housing.

Program Requirements

1. Eligible applicants must be an existing low to moderate income homeowners.
All eligible applicants must be an existing property owners with incomes below 80% of the area median income.

2. All assisted units must meet the following property requirements.

  • Assisted units must be within the corporate city limits and conected to municipal water and sanitary sewer systems.
  • Assisted units can not be located within a flood plain.
  • Assisted units must be wholly residential in character.
  • Assisted properties must be the apllicant's principal place of residence and homeowner must hold a fee simple title to the property.
  • Manufactured homes may be assisted if they are permanently affixed to a permanent foundation and taxed as real estate.
  • Assisted units must be current with regard to thier mortgage, property tax, property insurance and utility payments.
  • Assisted properties must be reasonably clean and free of debris and refuse in order to insure access by all parties who would be working on the rehabilitation project.

3. Maximum Housing Fund Assistance per unit $24,999.
The maximum assistance of $24,999 per units is only on the hard costs of construction(materials, labor, and contractor's overhead). Administrative costs, lead hazard reduction costs, and temporary relocation costs are not included in the $24,999 cap. The minimum investment is $1,000 per unit. This financial assistance is awarded in the form of five-year receding forgiveable loan.

4. All assisted units must meet Iowa's Rehavilitation Standards and all applicable local codes.
At a minimum all units after rehabilitation will meet Iowa's Rehabilitation Standards.

5. The present of lead-based paint will be presumed on all units built prior to 1978.
Any lead-based paint hazards or any rehabilitation work that disturbs painted surfaces in homes built prior to 1978 will be presumed to be lead-based paint and therefore work will be accomplised by contractors who have been trained in safe work practices.

6. Occupants will temporarily relocate during interior rehabiliation.
During the course of any interior rehabilitation that distrubs either known or presumed to lead-based paint, all of the unit's occupants will be temporarily relocated and thier personal belonings protected from lead-based paint hazards.

Income Limits

Based on 80% of Area Median Income

County 1 Person 2 Person 3 Person 4 Person 5 Person 6 Person
Buena Vista 30,050 34,300 38,600 42,900 46,350 49,750
Clay 30,050 34,300 38,600 42,900 46,350 49,750
Dickinson 32,400 37,000 41,650 46,250 49,950 53,650
Emmet 30,050 34,300 38,600 42,900 46,350 49,750
Lyon 31,000 35,450 39,850 44,300 47,850 51,400
O'Brien 30,050 34,300 38,600 42,900 46,350 49,750
Osceola 30,050 34,300 38,600 42,900 46,350 49,750
Palo Alto 30,050 34,300 38,600 42,900 46,350 49,750
Sioux 31,550 36,050 40,550 45,050 48,650 52,250


More About the Iowa Housing Fund

More About the State Housing Trust Fund