Updated: Apr 6, 2023
HOME, Inc. was founded in 1967 through the efforts of residents concerned about the lack of decent affordable housing. It is the oldest private, non-profit housing organization in Des Moines.
The organization’s goal is to meet individuals and families where they are in their housing journey, and HOME, Inc. does this by developing affordable housing that revitalizes neighborhoods, counseling individuals and families to help them obtain and retain housing and providing education and support to tenants and landlords to improve rental relationships.
HOME, Inc. offers a tenant-landlord counseling service that can help with common rental housing issues. The service assisted 2,650 families last. year including with questions about where to find affordable housing, seek rental assistance, or avoid eviction.
The organization also provides homeownership readiness counseling and pre-purchase counseling that helps families prepare to purchase their first home, as well as address issues that arise after becoming homeowners.
Finally, HOME, Inc. also constructs homes that are then made available to low- and moderate-income families in the community.
HOME, Inc.’s multifaceted approach to helping the community with housing challenges ensures they can meet their clients and residents wherever they are on their housing journey and provide support that creates a stronger community over time.
You can learn more about HOME, Inc. at www.HOMEINCdsm.com
This week, the Polk County Housing Trust Fund is sharing stories about some of our provider partners working to ensure housing opportunity for all. Make sure you sign up for e-mail updates to stay in touch when we share more stories like these.
Updated: Apr 6, 2023
Anawim Housing is dedicated to developing stable homes and strengthening people and communities. The organization began in 1987 with two homes along 12th street in Des Moines and has expanded to now provide housing solutions for more than 1,000 people and families across Iowa.
Anawim is distinguished as the largest provider of permanent supportive housing in Iowa, serving over 300 individuals and families. They offer low-barrier services tailored to individuals and families experiencing homelessness to partner with the person to achieve housing stability and other life goals.
“Housing First” programs like Anawim’s offer stable, barrier free housing to people in the community who are experiencing homelessness. This includes individuals who may be living with physical and mental health diagnoses, substance abuse disorders, or are fleeing domestic violence.
Through this program, Anawim provides access to safe, secure housing first, then other services to help their residents stabilize and succeed.
As executive director Cynthia Latcham says in this short video, “Lives change quickly when basic needs are met.”
The need for affordable housing continues to rise. Anawim Housing is committed to providing solutions and seeking out unique and innovative opportunities to serve the community through strategic partnerships, new development, and re-development of existing structures. Learn more about Anawim Housing at www.anawimhousing.org.
This week, the Polk County Housing Trust Fund is sharing stories about some of our provider partners working to ensure housing opportunity for all. Make sure you sign up for e-mail updates to stay in touch when we share more stories like these.
Updated: Apr 6, 2023
Neighborhood Finance Corporation has been lending in Des Moines since 1991. NFC provides unique lending programs and related services to help revitalize designated neighborhoods in Polk County and Cedar Rapids, Iowa. NFC has served 8,000 households in Des Moines making over $400 million in investments.
NFC’s lending helps people purchase homes, refinance existing mortgages, and secure home improvement renovation loans. They do this in partnership with Polk County and the cities of Des Moines, West Des Moines, Windsor Heights and Urbandale along with capital for lending raised from local financial institutions.
The lending areas where NFC operates were created in response to the impact of redlining and historic and discriminatory restrictions on access to capital. Those disparities are still quite apparent today as large racial and ethnic homeownership gaps exist in our community. While still providing lending to the community at large, NFC has been developing specific strategies to close these longstanding gaps.
In 2017, NFC was awarded funds that allowed the organization to offer down payment assistance and found that offering this benefit increased its lending to communities of color by 35%.
NFC has built on that progress by offering its Journey to Homeownership program which in its first year has nearly doubled the percentage of its loans to Black and African American homebuyers.
This year, NFC has just announced a new down payment assistance program that can provide up to a $30,000 deferred loan to eligible homebuyers purchasing in Polk County with an approved lender. This program will further expand the organization’s ability to help more people and families realize their dream of owning a home. Learn more about Neighborhood Finance Corporation at www.neighborhoodfinance.org.
This week, the Polk County Housing Trust Fund is sharing stories about some of our provider partners working to ensure housing opportunity for all. Make sure you sign up for e-mail updates to stay in touch when we share more stories like these.