Rural Housing Assessment Grant Program accepting applications for fall 2023

AMES — Iowa communities interested in improving local housing conditions now have the opportunity to apply for the fall 2023 Rural Housing Assessment Grant Program.

The program is offered by the Iowa Economic Development Authority’s Center for Rural Revitalization and conducted in partnership with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Community and Economic Development's Rural Housing Readiness Assessment program.

The purpose of the grant program is to fund communities’ efforts to assess and better understand their current environment, identify potential changes, and take action to create policies and procedures to improve their housing conditions.

Communities with populations of 20,000 or fewer and not contiguous to a city of 40,000 people or greater and that can provide a $5,000 cash match are eligible to apply. Successful applicants will participate in ISU Extension and Outreach’s RHRA program and upon completion receive a $10,000 grant.

Since 2020, 36 communities have benefited from the RHRA and the Rural Housing Assessment Grant programs. In addition to the community education and housing planning benefits, these communities have also received $360,000 to invest in their local housing. Community and Economic Development specialists have shepherded another 16 communities through the RHRA process independent of the IEDA partnership.

Several communities that completed the RHRA process have moved forward with housing and other improvements.

For example, the City of Keokuk received $600,000 in Community Development Block Grant funds for upper-story housing. The community received another $25,000 for a comprehensive neighborhood revitalization planning grant. The city also was awarded a $600,000 Home Rehab grant from the Iowa Finance Authority.

Since participating in RHRA, Estherville has built three new housing units, repaired or improved 23 units and demolished two dilapidated buildings. The city conducted a blight study, enacted new tax abatement incentives and increased the amount available for neighborhood facade grants from $2,500 to $4,000 per home for 10 homes for a total of $40,000.

A member of the Creston housing steering committee member reported, “The RHRA process brought partners together that previously had been working independently from each other. This allowed us to evaluate all aspects of housing and create a holistic approach to meet several price points in the market and address code enforcement challenges. Increased communication has been one of the biggest lasting benefits of the RHRA program.”

The deadline to apply for the upcoming round of Rural Housing Assessment grants is 11:59 p.m. on Aug. 30. For more information about applying for a grant, visit the grant program’s website (https://www.iowaeda.com/center-for-rural-revitalization/housing-assessment/) or contact Liesl Seabert at 515-348-6154 or liesl.seabert@iowaeda.com. To learn more about the RHRA process, contact community development specialist Omar Padilla at 515-520-2616 or opadilla@iastate.edu.