Affordable housing income restrictions waived for flood-impacted residents of Fremont, Harrison, Mils, Monona and Pottawattamie counties

DES MOINES, IA – December 23, 2011 – (RealEstateRama) — Gov. Terry Branstad and Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds today announced that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has approved the Branstad/Reynolds Administration’s request for a temporary waiver of income restrictions on federal housing tax credit properties throughout the state to assist Iowans who may have been displaced by the Missouri River flooding last summer. The Iowa Finance Authority administers the federal housing tax credit program in Iowa and a listing of properties is available at: www.IowaFinanceAuthority.gov/EmergencyHousing. more »

Grant to Habitat for Humanity of Marion County Inc. to spur new home

Des Moines, IA – December 21, 2011 – (RealEstateRama) — The Iowa Finance Authority Board of Directors recently approved a $50,000 grant to Habitat for Humanity of Marion County, Inc. to assist in the construction of an affordable home for a family in Knoxville.
The funding is made available through the State Housing Trust Fund’s Project-Based program. The program provides financing for the development of affordable single-family and multifamily housing units. more »

Northbrook, IL – December 12, 2011 – (RealEstateRama) — The Boulder Group, a net leased investment brokerage firm, has completed the sale of a single tenant net leased Walgreens property located at 3325 16th Avenue Southwest in Cedar Rapids, IA for $4,178,500. more »

Iowa Council on Homelessness unveils database to track homelessness trends in Iowa

Des Moines, IA – November 17, 2011 – (RealEstateRama) — Governor Branstad and Lt. Governor Reynolds today proclaimed November 12-20, 2011 as Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week in Iowa. Iowa joins with 500 other communities and organizations throughout the country in bringing awareness to the issues. The Iowa Council on Homelessness has published new homelessness data citing a slight decrease in homelessness in 2010 and an increase in overall Iowans served for homelessness prevention. more »

Des Moines, IA – November 7, 2011 – (RealEstateRama) — Congressman Leonard Boswell (IA-3) sent a letter to House Conferees to H.R. 2112 urging them to reject language contained in the legislation that would restore the currently expired Federal Housing Authority (FHA) loan limits. more »

Homeless Iowans and families to benefit from state and federal resources

Des Moines, IA – November 7, 2011 – (RealEstateRama) — The Iowa Finance Authority Board of Directors recently announced awards of more than $2 million in state and federal grants to assist homeless assistance projects in 35 counties throughout the state. The funds are made available through the Homeless Assistance Program, which is a combination of the federal Emergency Shelter Grant program and the state Shelter Assistance Fund programs and are jointly administered by the Iowa Finance Authority. more »

Local Housing Trust Fund Certification means ability to apply for State Housing Trust Fund program grants

Des Moines, IA – November 2, 2011 – (RealEstateRama) — The Iowa Finance Authority Board of Directors today certified the NIACOG Housing Trust Fund through the State Housing Trust Fund’s Local Housing Trust Fund program. The designation means the group may apply for funds from the Iowa Finance Authority’s State Housing Trust Fund program. More than $5 million is available to the 25 certified Local Housing Trust Funds on a competitive basis in fiscal year 2012. Local Housing Trust Funds use the funding to build affordable housing locally. more »

Down payment assistance grant increased by $1,000 for a total of up to $3,500 in assistance available until December 31 or until funds are expended to spur affordable homeownership

DES MOINES – October 13, 2011 – (RealEstateRama) — Governor Branstad and Lt. Governor Reynolds today announced that up to $3,500 in down payment assistance is now available to eligible home buyers who purchase their homes using the Iowa Finance Authority’s FirstHome and FirstHome Plus program through the end of the year, an increase of $1,000 above the normal amount of $2,500. The Iowa Finance Authority is a self-supporting agency. more »

State grant will assist in the revitalization of a Waterloo neighborhood

Des Moines, IA – September 16, 2011 – (RealEstateRama) — The Iowa Finance Authority Board of Directors recently approved a $50,000 grant to Iowa Heartland Habitat for Humanity to help acquire three lots in foreclosure, deconstruct for salvage material and demolish a dilapidated home and construct three new affordable homes. The funding is made available through the State Housing Trust Fund’s Project-Based program. The program provides financing for the development of affordable single-family and multifamily housing units. more »

4th annual HousingIowa awards honor outstanding housing initiatives throughout Iowa

Des Moines, IA – September 9, 2011 – (RealEstateRama) — Three outstanding Iowa housing initiatives and one individual from throughout the state were recently recognized with HousingIowa Awards at the 2011 HousingIowa Conference, presented by the Iowa Finance Authority in Des Moines. more »

WASHINGTON, DC – August 31, 2011 – (RealEstateRama) — The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) today announced that it is charging John and Nancy Meany, owners of an apartment building in Traer, Iowa, with violating the Fair Housing Act for refusing to accommodate a request from a family with a child with cerebral palsy. HUD brings the charge on behalf of the child and her mother, claiming the owners refused to allow the seven-year-old girl to have a medically-prescribed emotional support animal. Additionally, the owners allegedly told the mother that if she got the animal, she would have to either move or pay more money to stay. more »

WASHINGTON, DC – August 31, 2011 – (RealEstateRama) — The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) today announced that it is charging John and Nancy Meany, owners of an apartment building in Traer, Iowa, with violating the Fair Housing Act for refusing to accommodate a request from a family with a child with cerebral palsy. HUD brings the charge on behalf of the child and her mother, claiming the owners refused to allow the seven-year-old girl to have a medically-prescribed emotional support animal. Additionally, the owners allegedly told the mother that if she got the animal, she would have to either move or pay more money to stay. more »

Foreclosure protection offered to displaced families in several counties

WASHINGTON, DC – August 31, 2011 – (RealEstateRama) — U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan today announced HUD will speed federal disaster assistance to the State of Iowa and provide support to homeowners and low-income renters forced from their homes following last month’s severe storms and flooding. more »

State grant will assist in the construction of an affordable home in Mingo

Des Moines, IA – July 6, 2011 – (RealEstateRama) — The Iowa Finance Authority (IFA) Board of Directors today approved a $50,000 grant to Jasper County Habitat for Humanity to assist in the construction of a single-family home in Mingo. The funding is made available through the State Housing Trust Fund’s Project-Based program. The program provides financing for the development of affordable single-family and multifamily housing units. more »

Contract renewal means program profits will continue to be invested in affordable housing throughout Iowa

DES MOINES, IA – July 1 30, 2011 – (RealEstateRama) — The Iowa Finance Authority today announced that the agency has been awarded a contract renewal, worth approximately $5 million over two years for the administration of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Project-Based Section 8 program. more »