Archives

Sioux City, IA - December 9, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- December 31 is the deadline to file for Urban Revitalization Tax Exemption on eligible properties which received property improvements during calendar year 2009. All residential property owners within the corporate limits of the City of Sioux City that made improvements to their property in 2009 are encouraged to apply for the tax exemption.

DES MOINES, DC - December 8, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Iowa Finance Authority (IFA) Board of Directors recently approved nearly $13 million in federal resources to finance the development of The Rose of Council Bluffs, a 76 unit affordable housing development for older residents

WASHINGTON- Senator Chuck Grassley today applauded the Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) decision to delay the collection of rent from households remaining in FEMA-provided temporary housing units due to the 2008 floods until January 1, 2010. Grassley had requested an extension to help the transitioning families from facing the expense just before the holidays.

WASHINGTON, DC - November 23, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa has introduced legislation giving Midwestern disaster victims more time to benefit from tax relief intended to help them repair or replace their devastated homes.

November 16, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Sen. Chuck Grassley, ranking member of the Committee on Finance, today made the following comment on a new report saying that a $400 tax credit provided by the economic stimulus plan may leave more than 15.4 million Americans owing money to the IRS because of under-withholding from their paychecks. The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) today released its review of the IRS’ administration of the making work pay credit. Recent reports have documented administrative problems with the homebuyer tax credit and the existing health care tax credit

Local Housing Trust Fund grants will help preserve or create more than 1,600 affordable housing units. Des Moines, IA - November 16, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Iowa Finance Authority (IFA) Board of Directors recently approved a total of more than $4.3 million in grants to 20 Local Housing Trust Funds. The grants will aid in the development and preservation of more than 1,600 affordable housing units throughout the state. The awards were made through the State Housing Trust Fund’s Local Housing Trust Fund Program (LHTF).

Awards will aid residents of Red Oak, Avoca, Sioux City, Waverly, Waterloo, Onawa and Iowa City. DES MOINES, IA - November 10, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Governor Culver announced today that five entities from around Iowa will receive a total of nearly $1.2 million to build and rehabilitate affordable housing. The awards are made through Affordable Housing Assistance Grant Funds, a part of the Culver/Judge Administration’s I-JOBS initiative. The Iowa Finance Authority administers the program

Washington, DC - November 9, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congressman Dave Loebsack (D-IA) issued the following statement on the announcement that $150 million in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Disaster Recovery Funds will be made available for the purchase of 1,352 homes damaged due to the floods of last year. In June, Congressman Loebsack spearheaded efforts that garnered $517 million in CDGB funds for Iowa, bringing the total CDBG funds allocated to Iowa to nearly $800 million.

Washington, DC - November 6, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congressman Leonard Boswell voted to pass the Emergency Unemployment Compensation Extension Act to extend unemployment benefits, the homebuyers’ tax credit, and tax relief for military families and businesses in a vote of 403 to 12.

November 5, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Inspection Services Division would like to remind property owners who have rental property within the city to register the property before it is to be rented or leased.

Washington, DC - November 3, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congressman Dave Loebsack, joined by the Iowa delegation, wrote to Administrator Fugate, urging FEMA to waive rent for the temporary housing program. FEMA recently granted an extension of the temporary housing program for an additional seven months until June 27, 2010. While this extension allows disaster victims an additional seven months to seek affordable housing, several problems remain within the temporary housing program. Currently, FEMA will charge residents the fair market value of rent, minus certain deductions, which places a heavy burden on many Iowans as they work to recover from the floods of last summer.

New program provides housing assistance to Iowans in need. DES MOINES, IA - October 28, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- First Lady Mari Culver announced a new program today that will help hundreds of Iowans maintain or acquire an affordable rental home. As part of the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, almost $1.5 billion was allocated to cities and states for the Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program.

DES MOINES, IA - October 27, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Governor Chet Culver and Lt. Governor Patty Judge will hold three public events on Wednesday. The Governor will remain at the State Capitol in Des Moines to finalize departmental budget plans, while the Lt. Governor attends events in Iowa City and Perry.

Des Moines, IA - October 26, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Officials of the Federal Emergency Management Agency announced today that the Direct Housing Assistance program, which was slated to end on November 27, has been extended for a period of seven months. The program will now end on June 27, 2010.

Washington, DC - October 15, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Members of the Iowa Delegation urge disaster relief reform in a joint letter to Chairman John Olver of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD). The letter supports an amendment that will allow disaster stricken communities greater access and use of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) disaster relief funds. The amendment, introduced by Senator Landrieu (D-LA) and co-sponsored by Senator Grassley and Senator Harkin, was added to the THUD Appropriations bill in the Senate, and would allow states and communities that received CDBG disaster funding to use that funding as a local match, share, or contribution toward federal projects.