Democrat Rob Sand says if he’s elected governor, he’ll pursue initiatives to speed up the permit process for home builders and to help first-time homebuyers. The Iowa Finance Authority awards 25-hundred dollar grants to eligible first time homebuyers to cover downpayment and closing costs, but the money comes in the form of a second mortage — with interest. He says that assistance should be interest-free.
The Finance Authority also awards grants to support housing construction, but Sand says the required inspections don’t necessarily happen at the same time as inspections required by Iowa cities.
Sand says it makes sense to give one inspector authority to go through the check list required under a city code and required by the Iowa Finance Authority at the same time. Sand says he’d work with lawmakers to review the state building code to identify other stumbling blocks that are delaying and adding to the cost of building homes. A 2025 state law gives Iowans the right to build a second housing unit on the same property as their primary residence, but Sand says there’s more work to do because of local zoning ordinances.
Sand made his comments this (Thursday) morning after touring a 44-unit building in Des Moines for elderly Iowans and Iowans with a disability who have an annual income below 24-thousand dollars. The property is managed by Community Housing Initiatives, a statewide non-profit, and rent is capped at 30 percent of a resident’s monthly income.
