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Housing Policy Reading Room

Find a collection of useful reports and data about the need for affordable housing in Polk County, Iowa.

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ALICE in the Crosscurrents: COVID and financial hardship in Iowa

United Ways of Iowa, 2023

ALICE stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed and is a method United Way uses to describe people who earn more than the federal poverty limit yet are still struggling financially. This report contains a trove of useful information people and families face sharing the distressing finding that 36% of Iowans fail to meet the ALICE threshold for being able to afford a basic survival budget as of 2021.

Economic Realities of Communities of Color in Iowa: A Statewide Report

Iowa Credit Union Foundation, 2023

In an ever-changing world, leveraging relevant data is critical to identifying barriers to financial well-being within communities. Guided by the cooperative credit union philosophy of "people helping people", the Iowa Credit Union Foundation is on a mission to champion financial well-being across Iowa. 

In an effort to support financial institutions and community organizations with actionable data, ICUF has invested in the creation of a statewide report, “Economic Realities of Communities of Color in Iowa”.


Across the U.S., a disproportionate number of minority communities are financially vulnerable (just one missed paycheck or accident away from a crisis). This Report provides further context to these figures nationwide and within Iowa. Our research shows that Iowa households of Color are more than twice as likely as White households to live with an income below the federal poverty level.

Regional Workforce Housing Strategy - Executive Summary

czb, LLC, 2020

Affordable Housing & Wellness Planning for the Greater Des Moines of Tomorrow

Richmond, 2014

The aim of this project was to emphasize health in a long-range plan for housing in Greater Des Moines. This project piggybacked on the Polk County Housing Trust Fund’s (PCHTF) planning efforts to obtain community perceptions on housing-related issues for Housing Tomorrow (HT), the region’s first plan for affordable housing (The Tomorrow Plan, 2014). Using secondary data and responses to key interviews, this project produced a survey tool designed to collect specialized health data related to housing in Greater Des Moines. This project fulfilled requirements of a planning capstone through its strategic approach to public participation and emphasis on advocacy planning. Additionally, its focus on population health and consideration of social determinants as risk factors met the requirements of a public health capstone.

Community Health Needs Assessment

Multiple local health organizations, 2021

The Community Health Needs Assessment provides detailed durvey data for Polk, Dallas, and Warren Counties about a range of health information.

Development of a Spacial Methodology for Assessing Affordable Housing In Polk County (Phase I)

Rongerude, 2012

The primary impetus for this study is the hypothesis that existing housing needs assessments do not fully capture either the existing affordable housing supply or affordable housing need in Polk County. Therefore the primary research question asks: To what extent does the existing supply of affordable housing in Polk County match with the existing need for affordable housing?


This study assesses a range of data sources toward the development of a more comprehensive inventory of the affordable housing market in Polk County, IA. From the assessment we will propose a methodology for cost-effective, periodic inventory, and test the methodology using several neighborhoods within the study area.

Homeless System Needs Assessment and Centralized Intake Evaluation

Des Moines/Polk County Continuum of Care, 2024

Due to increasing concerns among community leaders about the number of people experiencing homelessness in our community and the desire to provide an efficient and caring response, Homeward contracted with Housing Innovations of Columbus, Ohio, to review the homeless system in Polk County, Iowa. The resulting analysis helps the community understand what new resources, programming and service strategies are necessary to provide a robust response to meet the forecasted number of households we expect to enter the homelessness system. The report also made recommendations to improve Centralized Intake, a local service sometimes referred to as “the front door” of the community’s homelessness response.

Housing Tomorrow

Des Moines Area MPO

Housing Tomorrow is the region's comprehensive overview of affordable housing strategy.

Housing by the Numbers: Iowa Homeownership and Affordability Outlook

Iowa Association of Realtors

Provides a detailed look at the data surrounding affordability and the dream of homeownership for Iowa residents.

Leveraging Location

PCHTF, 2012

This PCHTF white paper explores why location is key for success in developing affordable housing.

National Equity Atlas

PolicyLink

In housing, it is essential to "disaggregate the data," splitting apart common housing indicators to see disparities that exist in our community according to race and ethnicity, among other factors. The National Equity Atlas is billed as "America's most detailed report card on racial and economic equity." It contains searchable indicators on a variety of factors related to the economic inclusion of communities of color - and much more.

Out of Reach

National Low Income Housing Coalition

Updated annually, the headline number from Out of Reach is always the estimate of the hourly wage a person needs to earn in order to afford a modest 2 bedroom apartment. This year, for Iowa as a whole, it's $16.55/hour. 


But the data in this report goes deeper-our state profile allows you to see which common occupations in Iowa earn enough to comfortably afford housing, and which dont.  The upshot? Tens of thousands of jobs in Iowa do not support finding a place to live without financial strain.

Predictors of Homelessness in Midwestern States 2020

PCHTF/Christoper Martin, 2020

Regional Impediments to Fair Housing

Cities of Des Moines and West Des Moines

Learn about barriers to equitable housing in our region, and strategies for reducing them.

The Cost of Living in Iowa 2022

Common Good Iowa

The Cost of Living in Iowa report is similar to the MIT Living Wage Calculator but is produced by an Iowa-based nonprofit, Common Good Iowa. An advantage this report has over others, however, is its estimate of the tax burden and benefits Iowa families would receive.

The State of Low-Income Students in Polk County

PCHTF, 2016

The report examines the current state of low-income students in Polk County, Iowa. It finds that there is a significant achievement gap between students who qualify for Free and Reduced Priced Lunch (F/R PL) and those who do not. The report also finds that there is a significant difference in academic performance between the Des Moines Public Schools and the surrounding suburban school districts. The report proposes inclusionary zoning as a possible solution to this problem. Inclusionary zoning would require developers to include a certain percentage of affordable housing units in new developments. The report also discusses other possible solutions, such as investing in underprivileged schools and providing rental assistance to low-income families.

Tomorrow Plan Housing Report

Gruen & Associates, 2012

Workforce Housing

PCHTF, 2012

Access to quality, affordable housing powers our region's economy.

Affordable and available homes in Polk County, Iowa

PCHTF, 2023

An analysis of the 2019 Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy (CHAS) special tabulations representing a snapshot of the low-income rental market prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. This first-of-its-kind analysis provides a snapshot of the local rental housing market prior to the outbreak.

Iowa Homeownership through History

PCHTF, 2023

Learn how federal policy, especially after World War II, transformed the way Iowans and Americans become homeowners. While these efforts created tremendous wealth and opportunity, they excluded many along racial and ethnic lines, leading to large racial homeownership gaps that persist in our community today. The report ends by reflecting on increased housing prices during the pandemic era.

Nuestro Iowa (Our Iowa)

Iowa Latinx Project

Nuestro Iowa examines data about Iowa's Latinx community. It provides an in-depth look at topics like housing, education, and more.

Children and Affordable Housing

PCHTF, 2012

Children in low-income families are more likely to move frequently, which can have negative effects on their educational achievement. Frequent moves can disrupt children's education by making it difficult to make friends, adjust to new schools, and stay on track academically. Affordable housing can help to stabilize children's lives and improve their educational outcomes.

Des Moines Area MPO environmental justice maps

Des Moines Area MPO

About one third of residents in Greater Des Moines live in a census tract identified as an environmental justice area as identified by the Des Moines Area MPO.

Development of a Spacial Methodology for Assessing Affordable Housing In Polk County (Phase II)

Rongerude, 2013

The primary impetus for this study is the hypothesis that existing housing needs assessments do not fully capture either the existing affordable housing supply or affordable housing need in Polk County. Therefore the primary research question asks: To what extent does the existing supply of affordable housing in Polk County match with the existing need for affordable housing?


This study assesses a range of data sources toward the development of a more comprehensive inventory of the affordable housing market in Polk County, IA. From the assessment we will propose a methodology for cost-effective, periodic inventory, and test the methodology using several neighborhoods within the study area.

Housing Stats

Iowa Association of Realtors

The Iowa Association of Realtors provides a comprehensive overview of what's happening in Iowa's residential real estate market. Especially if your interest is in single family homes, you'll find useful data about prices, inventory, sales trends, and more.

Housing Underproduction in the US 2022

Up for Growth, 2022

Housing markets in the Midwest have tipped into undersupply, bringing consequences previously reserved for coastal markets closer to home.

Iowa Housing Overview

Legislative Services Agency, 2022

A high quality overview of State of Iowa housing programs produced by the Legislative Services Agency in late 2022.

MIT Living Wage Calculator

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

MIT uses data about typical household expenses in an area to calculate a living wage - the amount of money a person needs to earn to fully support his or herself and their family. Calculations are available for counties, metro areas, or states. You are able to see a variety of houeshold configurations, such as how the situation changes for a single adult living alone, versus a single parent or dual-income earning household.

One Economy Report

The Directors Council, 2017

Learn about the economic and social disparities affecting Black Polk County.

Paycheck to Paycheck

National Housing Conference

We frequently rely on this database as a way of showing whether the income people and families earn at their jobs is sufficient to afford the rent in our community. Using Paycheck to Paycheck you can search among almost 150 different occupations to see what type of housing typical wages will support.

Public Perceptions

PCHTF, 2012

This PCHTF white paper discusses the negative perceptions of affordable housing and how to overcome them.

State of the Nation's Housing 2023

Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies, 2022

This annual report on national housing trends is always a must read.

The Gap: 2023 State Housing Profile

National Low Income Housing Coalition

Learn about our state's challenge supporting extremely low income renters.

The Tomorrow Plan

Des Moines Area MPO

The Tomorrow Plan is "the one that started it all" for a generation of planning and urban design-focused community members in Greater Des Moines. The plan took a sustainability focused approach to envisioning how the region will change as its population nears one million people.

Unsheltered Des Moines Study

Talbert, Elizabeth and Matthew Record, 2022

The Unsheltered Des Moines Study was commissioned to better understand the experiences of people living unsheltered (on the streets or in places not intended for human habitation) in Polk County. The study examines why individuals face barriers to shelter and permanent housing in Greater Des Moines and provides a platform for people experiencing unsheltered homelessness to tell the community how best to help them. Drawing from first-hand accounts and extensive research, the study presents recommendations to improve homeless services, create system-wide change, and ultimately reduce the number of our neighbors living outdoors.

Workforce Housing Study

Virigina Center for Housing Research, 2019

Commissioned by PCHTF and local governments, this report looks at the types of jobs growing in Des Moines and creates a forecast for future housing demand based on increased jobs coming to the region.

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