The Iowa Finance Authority (IFA) is conducting a statewide housing survey that includes several public hearings, one of which will be held in Atlantic. I-F-A spokesperson, Ashley Jared, says they’ve hired R-D-G Planning & Design firm to help gather as much information as they can on the housing situation statewide.
“Both the current housing stock as well as future needs for Iowans’ housing needs. This will include a lot of different elements, one of those is hearing from the public. A lot of different communities throughout Iowa have really different housing needs, anything from workforce housing to acquisition rehab improvement needs,” Jared says. 

Another part of the plan includes “expert roundtables.” Jared says R-D-G will meet with housing experts and organizations throughout the state to get their opinions on how things can be improved. “And then the last element is the use of data. R-D-G is compiling a lot of data on the current housing situation in Iowa that will be used in conjunction from what we hear from the public,” according to Jared. The I-F-A hopes to gain a better understanding of the things it does through the survey. “The Iowa Finance Authority is really going to take all of the information and help us in our strategic planning. So, if there are things that we can do differently in our current programs or if we can form new programs to best help Iowans housing needs, we will go ahead and take a look at that,” she says.

Jared says you can help by giving your input at the public meetings. “Really we are just hoping that they will be completely honest with us and tell us not only what is happening now in their communities — what needs to be addressed or what they have too much of or need more of — but also in the future, so looking ahead,” Jared says. The survey results should be completed and ready by this fall. The first public meeting on the issue was Monday.. Other meetings will be held in August at yet be determined locations in Mason City, Waterloo, Burlington, Ottumwa, Tama and Atlantic. For more information, go to:www.RDGUSA.com/IowaHousing.

(Radio Iowa)