Within a week of giving a pitch to the Iowa Economic Development Authority and the Iowa Finance Authority, the City of Jefferson has been selected for a statewide designation.
Jefferson is one of 11 Iowa Thriving Communities, which not only gives recognition to those communities that find ways to make housing a reality, but to also earn extra points towards workforce housing tax credits and low-income housing tax credits. Community leader and local engineer in Jefferson Chris Deal has helped with several projects in the community, including establishing upper story housing in the downtown square in Jefferson. He was one of six community representatives that told IEDA and IFA about their different housing projects.
“So one of the things that we always try to do with Jefferson and Greene County at large is to be on the cutting edge of rural revitalization, and what can be done and what is possible in a rural community? And so to receive the recognition that ‘Yes we are one of these communities’ that setting an example showing what is possible, certainly was very exciting.”
Deal emphasizes one critical part to making housing projects happen, especially in a rural setting, are the partnerships, sometimes including public and private partnerships.
“When you look at things that have happened throughout the community a lot of it is because the key organizations, the key players, key leaders in the community all understand the importance of each individual project and getting everybody behind it. And that’s something that sometimes we take for granted how well everybody works together and supports each other in this community. But it is really something that is special and something that resonates.”
Jefferson and the other ten Iowa Thriving Community designees will get a chance to showcase themselves in front of various housing developers at the Housing Iowa Conference on September 6th. The other communities include Knoxville, Manning, Cedar Rapids, West Des Moines, Oskaloosa, Stanton, Charles City, Dubuque, Muscatine, and Creston.