The Iowa Finance Authority (IFA) is developing a website that will list available rental properties throughout the state. It’s free for landlords to post a listing and a dedicated call center makes sure that available listings are kept current. IFA spokesperson Ashley Jared says they expect ‘Iowa Housing Search dot org’ (www.iowahousingsearch.org) to go live in mid-January. She believes it will fill a need in the state.
“There is not one current listing of rentals in the state of Iowa. Our office gets calls daily from renters and people who would like to rent, asking what’s available,” Jared says.

The IFA can direct people to some listings, according to Jared, but they often are not updated to show which properties are actually available. “This website is going to be different…it tracks units that are actually vacant and we have a call center that’s dedicated to following up with landlords on an every two-week basis to make sure the information is up to date and accurate,” Jared says. In the coming weeks, Jared says the IFA will be reaching out to landlords to post available properties on the website.

Statewide, she estimates over 13-thousand (13,000) units have already been listed. Thirty-four other states have similar websites, including Colorado, which has used their site to help flood victims find affordable housing quickly.

(Radio Iowa)