New report highlights regional housing preservation challenge in Central Iowa

Adding to the region’s supply of affordable housing is a significant challenge facing in communities today, but preserving existing housing is just as important in meeting regional demand. That’s why the Polk County Housing Trust Fund (PCHTF) in partnership with Capital Crossroads has released a new inventory of more than 10,000 homes at federally-backed rental properties serving Central Iowa.

“We wanted to demystify the programs and properties that keep thousands of Central Iowa neighbors in safe, stable homes,” said Toby O’Berry, executive director of the Polk County Housing Trust Fund. “Our goal with this project is to help build region-wide understanding about the housing inventory we have and how to address gaps.”

Built on the National Housing Preservation Database and other sources, PCHTF’s database is a resource for local communities to better understand how to protect their existing affordable housing, which can be at risk of loss for several factors.

“Income restrictions on this rental housing usually have a set expiration date, and a variety of other factors can make housing unavailable, too. That means as we are working hard to add new homes that seniors, people with disabilities, and working families need and can depend upon, existing housing units for Central Iowans are also losing key affordability protections, taking our region further from its goal,” O’Berry said.

Elsie Mason Manor in Des Moines is one of the properties featured in the new report.

At present, the database identifies more than 176 affordable housing projects in Polk, Dallas, and Warren Counties. Projects received funding from one or more of four major federal housing programs: Low Income Housing Tax Credits, HUD multifamily housing programs, USDA Rural Development housing programs, or Public Housing.

PCHTF hopes to add additional housing programs, continue tracking the region’s federally-backed affordable housing supply, and refine the property data in collaboration with property owners, giving a better picture of housing that is added and lost over time.

“Considering rent trends, job centers, and the location of existing housing can help shed light on where and what type of additional housing is needed to meet the need of Central Iowans. Housing is regional issue, and all our communities share a common housing market. That means we need to work together and be strategic about preserving and investing in housing options across the spectrum so our neighbors have access to housing choice across Greater Des Moines,” said Kaity Patchett, executive director of Capital Crossroads.

The new report discussing housing programs as well as an interactive map with local property information can be found at pchtf.org/preservation.