It was a banner couple of weeks for Region XII Council of Governments’ housing programs after receiving nearly $1 million in state and federal grants for home construction, maintenance, and improvement projects in the service area. Region XII was awarded $501,750 from the Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLB) of Des Moines. Region XII Housing Specialist Ashley Owen says those funds are specifically set aside for rehabilitation work.
Funding for this FHLB grant is sourced from the bank’s proceeds from its other loans and operations. The Region XII Housing Trust Fund was awarded $379,792 from the Iowa Finance Authority (IFA). Owen says this money is also directed to housing rehabilitation in the area but in a slightly different manner.
Money for the IFA grant is sourced through appropriations from Iowa’s real-estate transfer tax collections. Owen says Region XII was also selected for a $101,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development program. While not as large as the other grants, she says it serves a vital role in filling gaps for projects that do not quite fit the eligibility criteria for the other grants.
Due to the high demand in Region XII’s service area, many of these programs have a waiting list, and funds will go to approved applicants first. However, households or property owners interested in participating in the future should get on the list as soon as possible. For more information, follow the link included with this story on our website or contact Region XII at 712-792-9914.
