Iowa RealEstateRama

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.

Unique federally funded program will provide Iowans with housing assistance. DES MOINES, IA - October 27, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- First Lady Mari Culver tomorrow will announce a new federally funded rental assistance program that can help Iowans who are struggling financially.

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.

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.

Funds to Support Housing Counseling Program in Waterloo. Des Moines, IA - October 9, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Iowa Finance Authority (IFA) Board of Directors recently approved a $50,000 grant to Operation Threshold from the State Housing Trust Fund’s Project-Based Program. The program helps finance the development of affordable single-family and multifamily housing units.

DES MOINES, IA - October 9, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Governor Chet Culver has announced that three housing developments have been awarded a total of more than $18.5 million to construct or preserve affordable housing in central and eastern Iowa. The awards were made through the Culver/Judge I-JOBS initiative and the federal American Recovery & Reinvestment Act (ARRA) to support projects in Ames, Cedar Rapids and Davenport. The Iowa Finance Authority (IFA) administers the programs.

Washington, DC - October 1, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today, Congressman Leonard Boswell voted to secure $29,509,000 to fund flood prevention and management projects in Iowa when the House passed the Energy and Water Development Appropriations conference report.

Washington, DC - October 1, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today, Congressman Leonard Boswell voted to secure $29,509,000 to fund flood prevention and management projects in Iowa when the House passed the Energy and Water Development Appropriations conference report.

More than $46 million approved to support nearly 500 units of affordable housing in Iowa. DES MOINES, IA - September 23, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Governor Chet Culver announced today that affordable housing projects throughout the state have been awarded a total of more than $46 million to create or preserve nearly 500 units of affordable housing. The awards were made through the Culver/Judge I-JOBS initiative and the federal American Recovery & Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The Iowa Finance Authority administers the programs.

WASHINGTON, DC - September 18, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Senator Chuck Grassley today said that $380,000 from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development was released to Scott County Housing Council through the regular appropriations process

Des Moines, IA - September 15, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Four outstanding Iowa housing initiatives and one individual from throughout the state were recently recognized with HousingIowa Awards at the 2009 HousingIowa Conference, presented by the Iowa Finance Authority (IFA) in Des Moines.