Iowa RealEstateRama

Sioux City, IA - April 6, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- In recognition of Fair Housing month, the Sioux City Human Rights Commission, Siouxland Human Investment Partnership (SHIP) and the Midtown Community Center will host the symposium “Fair Housing in Siouxland” on Wednesday, April 20th at the Midtown Community Center, 525 14th Street, from 6:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.

Sioux City, IA - April 6, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Sioux City Fire Rescue is pleased to announce a new residential Safe Home Program. This program has three components:

Sioux City, IA - March 30, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The City of Sioux City, Neighborhood Services Division has partnered with Inspection Services Division to develop a new program. “We have formed a unique partnership to help low-income elderly, and disabled homeowners with critical emergency repairs that have reduced life, health and safety hazards and improved homeowners’ quality of life” says Darlynn McMullen.

SIOUX CITY, IA - March 2, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- MyPad Down Payment Assistance Program was created to overcome the greatest barrier to homeownership, down payment. MyPad provides an opportunity for qualified low to moderate income individuals and families to purchase affordable homes by receiving money from the Home Investment Partnership for down payment on a home. Homebuyers will never have to repay the gift from MyPad as long as the home purchased remains owner occupied throughout the 5 year period of the deferred payment loan

Washington, DC - February 14, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Iowa Congressman Tom Latham, the chairman of the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Subcommittee, released the following statement after the introduction of a continuing resolution in the House of Representatives to fund the federal government for the remainder of Fiscal Year 2011

February 3, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Siouxland Coalition to End Homelessness (SCEH), in coordination with the City of Sioux City, conducted the annual Point in Time count on Wednesday, January 26. The Point in Time (PIT) count is a snapshot count of sheltered and unsheltered homeless persons on a single night, typically at the end of January. Cities across the country participate in this event as a requirement to receive funding for homeless activities from the Office of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

February 3, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Property Owners Continue to Utilize Tax Exemption to Construct New Homes/Make Improvements to Existing Homes. In October of 2007, the City of Sioux City began the City-Wide Tax Exemption / Urban Revitalization Program. The purpose of the program is to provide partial tax exemption for up to 10 years on the increased value of property resulting from improvements. Improvements can include substantial remodeling, additions, or new construction of single-family residential or multi-family residential structures

January 26, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Human Rights, Iowa Legal Aid, The Boys Club, and North Middle School Students Helping the Homeless. Human Rights VISTAs, Legal Aid, The Boys Club and North Middle School Students have all been hard at work gathering much needed items for the homeless in our community. All have devoted time to increase the awareness and advocacy of homeless by requesting donations of items which will be passed out during the annual Point in Time Count.

WASHINGTON, DC - January 12, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Senator Chuck Grassley has asked 20 law firms in Philadelphia for information about their billing of the Philadelphia Public Housing Authority as part of a larger review of how the housing authority has misused federal tax dollars. Grassley said he is going directly to the firms for information about the amount billed and the kind of work performed because the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, which awards federal funds to local housing authorities, has told him it doesn’t maintain records about such legal payments and, in the case of the Philadelphia Public Housing Authority, news organizations have reported how the housing authority structured settlements in at least four sexual harassment cases and one case where the failure to inspect a building before demolition resulted in the death of a resident.

Des Moines, IA - December 10, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Iowa Finance Authority (IFA) Board of Directors recently approved a $50,000 grant to support the construction of a home to be built in Knoxville by Habitat for Humanity of Marion County. 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.

November 18, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- December 31 is the deadline to file for Urban Revitalization Tax Exemption on eligible properties which received property improvements during calendar year 2010. All residential property owners within the corporate limits of the City of Sioux City that made improvements to their property in 2010 are encouraged to apply for the tax exemption.

PELLA, IA - November 12, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Steve and Sue Ralston are honoring Veterans Day this year by remodeling their rural home outside Waterloo, Iowa, for a very special Iowa veteran

November 10, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Sioux City Economic Development Department is inviting former residents to move back to Sioux City this holiday season. In its third year, the “Home Again” marketing initiative will again utilize local media including print, tv, bus signage, banners and electronic billboards to target parents and families who want to see their children move back to Sioux City

WASHINGTON, DC - October 29, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa is pressing the federal government to fix its lax oversight over the billions of taxpayer dollars given to public housing agencies. Grassley’s review and media reports have exposed millions of dollars being paid to local agencies that the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has classified as “high risk,” salaries for some housing agency directors that exceed the governor’s salary in their state, and sexual predators residing in public housing

Washington, DC - October 28, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.), Ranking Member Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), and House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Health Chairman Pete Stark (D-CA) released a new Government Accountability Office (GAO) report today on the need for greater transparency regarding companies’ ownership of nursing homes. Baucus, Grassley and Stark requested the report, titled “Complexity of Private Investment Purchases Demonstrates Need for CMS to Improve the Usability and Completeness of Ownership Data.”