Region XII Council of Governments continues to work with the City of Jefferson to provide housing.

Region XII Housing Programs Coordinator Karla Janning says they applied for an owner-occupied rehabilitation grant through the Iowa Economic Development Authority. As part of the grant application, matching funds were needed from the City. Janning points out, the City committed $22,800 toward six homes, and the grant was awarded for $245,000. 

Janning says the qualified homes were 80-percent of the county’s medium household income. The homes are located at 501, 503 and 509 West State Street, along with 708 and 800 West Lincoln Way and 204 North Pinet Street. Janning adds, another type of grant was used to rehab an older home.

“One of the homes was deemed a potentially historical house, and we again applied for additional funds through the Iowa Economic Development Authority and were awarded short $30,000 of additional funds to help with the restoration of this historic property, and it looks beautiful. Once again Jefferson received one of the first pilot programs in the state and we’re very excited about that.”

Janning says the two most important aspects with the homes included light safety and energy efficiency. She notes, this is only the second time in the last ten years that the City has worked with Region XII on this kind of a housing grant program.