DES MOINES – The Iowa Finance Authority recently recognized outstanding housing initiatives and leaders through the 13th annual HousingIowa Awards.
The HousingIowa Awards recognize outstanding programs, projects and professionals for leadership and innovation in advancing housing opportunities for Iowans. The award categories include: Innovation, Multifamily, Single-Family, Special Needs Development, Legislative Friend of Housing and the Kay Anderson Friend of Housing Award.
HousingIowa award nominations are accepted each year and an independent panel of judges determines the statewide award winners.
2020 HousingIowa Winners
Single-Family Development
GNB Community Development Corporation, Grundy Center
GNB Community Development Corporation (CDC) was established to create affordable housing for low to moderate income individuals in rural communities by revitalizing current homes or building new affordable homes. The GNB CDC completed its first home rehabilitation project in Conrad in 2019.
Multifamily Development
Full Circle Communities, Fifteenth Street Apartments, Dubuque
Full Circle Communities transformed an underutilized historic former three-story school building into 36 mixed income rental homes targeting veterans and persons with disabilities. Residents of the Fifteenth Street Apartments in Dubuque have access to on-site services including employment assistance, job training, financial education and counseling, among other amenities.
Innovation Award
City of Iowa City, South District Homeownership Program
The City of Iowa City created the South District Homeownership Program to allow the purchase, rehabilitation and sale of duplexes to existing, eligible renters in the neighborhood or others meeting the eligibility criteria. The first duplex renovated through the program was sold to two buyers who had rented in the neighborhood for a combined total of more than 21 years, prior to purchasing a home through the program.
Special Needs Development
Region XII Council of Governments (COG), Summit Ridge Apartments, Wall Lake
The Region XII COG developed the Summit Ridge Apartments in Wall Lake as a response to a local housing need for rental homes for seniors in the rural community. The newly constructed apartments include a total of five new construction rental units including a duplex and a triplex.
Legislative Friend of Iowa
Senator Mark Lofgren, Muscatine
Senator Lofgren was recognized with the Legislative Friend of Housing Award for his contributions to advancing housing opportunities in Iowa through legislation and advocacy efforts. Senator Lofgren has a long history of introducing and supporting legislation to address housing needs throughout the state.
He was a leader in the creation of the partnership between the Iowa Councils of Governments and the Newton Correctional Facility to build affordable homes through the Homes for Iowa Program in addition to his recent work advancing housing priorities on the Governor’s Empower Rural Iowa Taskforce.
Kay Anderson Friend of Iowa Award
Sister Mary Ann Vogel, Congregation of the Humility of Mary, Davenport
Sister Mary Ann Vogel with the Congregation of the Humility of Mary in Davenport has worked to end homelessness in her community for more than 30 years. She was a founding member of Humility of Mary Housing for single mothers and their children who were experiencing homelessness and played a critical role advocating to take over a local emergency shelter to ensure that it could remain operational. Sister Mary Ann Vogel’s work has impacted the lives of thousands of Iowans in their time of need.
The Kay Anderson Friend of Iowa Award was created in honor of the late Kay Anderson, a long-time member of the Iowa Finance Authority Board of Directors and resident of Le Mars.
More information about the HousingIowa Award winners is available at iowafinance.com.
Iowa Finance Authority
The Iowa Legislature created the Iowa Finance Authority in 1975 to undertake programs to assist in the attainment of housing for low- and moderate-income Iowans. Since then, the Iowa Finance Authority’s role has grown to include affordable housing, water quality and beginning farmer programs.