Community Housing Policy
Understanding and communicating good Affordable Housing Policy is critical to the Mission and Vision of the Polk County Housing Trust Fund. The PCHTF Board of Directors envisions this organization as the leader in helping to create, advocate for and drive execution of a community Strategic Plan to provide Safe, Stable and Affordable Housing.
To accomplish this task the PCHTF volunteers and staff must understand the demographics of the community and stay abreast of the most current best practices for delivering Affordable Housing inventory. This micro-site is dedicated to cataloging those resources and making them available to the community at large. In addition, anyone concerned with housing policy should feel free to contact the PCHTF office for information or direction to other resources.
PCHTF Policy Agenda
Our organization's policy positions
The Polk County Housing Trust Fund Policy Committee and Board of Directors set a policy agenda for the organization each year that guides its advocacy efforts. The agenda covers local, state, and federal policy with a particular focus on the local policies that impact affordable housing here in Polk County.
Affordable Housing Information
Statistical and Demographic Information for Polk County, Iowa
This section provides current statistical and demographic information for Polk County, Iowa that relates to Affordable Housing Policy. This information comes from a variety of sources and is the basis for PCHTF funding decisions and advocacy of community-wide strategic initiatives to address its Mission and Vision.
- 2017 Area Median Income
- 2017 Hubbell Apartment Survey (PDF)
- Tomorrow Plan Housing Report (PDF)
- Demographics of The Urban Core (PDF)
- City of Des Moines Demographics (PDF)
- Regional Impediments to Housing (PDF)
- Map of housing & jobs in Central Iowa (PDF)
- Out of Reach Iowa 2018 (PDF)
PCHTF Housing Policy Research
PCHTF Commissioned Papers
As a part of its responsibilities to the community, the PCHTF engages researchers and interns to study and compile information on selected Affordable Housing Topics. This research supports the advocacy and funding decisions of the Trust Fund. To encourage other funders to adopt similar approaches the PCHTF makes these studies available to the community.
- Aging in Place (PDF)
- Housing and Student Success (PDF)
- Leveraging Location (PDF)
- Public Perceptions (PDF)
- Workforce Housing (PDF)
- Polk County Housing Inventory Part 1 (ISU) (PDF)
- Polk County Housing Inventory Part 2 (PDF)
- Graphic of Polk County Renters (2018) (PDF)
- Affordable Housing & Wellness Planning (PDF)
- The State of Low Income Students in Polk County (PDF)
Best Practice Studies
Research from National Authors
Many researchers and organizations of national reputation share their work on best practices for Affordable Housing Policy. The PCHTF looks for ways that national programs can be adapted to the Des Moines community to achieve meaningful results. The Trust Fund is committed to sharing the best of these practices with the community at-large.
Homelessness in the Des Moines Metro
Homelessness can not be solved without affordable housing
The Des Moines metro is committed to ending homelessness. Much of the success of that commitment will depend on the community providing sufficient affordable housing units. The PCHTF believes it is responsible for helping the community plan for and fund those units. As a result, the PCHTF has a special focus and strategy for adding affordable housing inventory for individuals and families earning less than 30% of Area Median Income.
- Continuum of Care Website
- Housing First (PDF)
- CoC Best Practices (PDF)
- Single-Room Occupancy Housing (PDF)
- TAC Mental Health Report (PDF)
Presentations
Speakers share their insights
PCHTF invites local, regional, and national speakers to share their affordable housing expertise with members of our community. These presentations show some of the compelling facts, statistics, and stories these experts offered.
