Region XII Council of Governments has partnered with the City of Jefferson to build four new homes. 

The homes are located in the 500 and 600 blocks of North Cedar and the 500 block of East Clark streets. Region XII Housing Programs Coordinator Karla Janning tells Raccoon Valley Radio, two of the homes are 1,000-square-feet with full basements, a garage, two bedrooms and one bathroom. Another home has three bedrooms, two bathrooms and is 1,200-square-feet with a basement and garage, and it is being built by Homes for Iowa through the Iowa Prison Industries program. The plans for the fourth home are being finalized. 

Region XII Executive Director Rick Hunsaker believes they are addressing a need for housing in Jefferson and Greene County. He discusses a concern that home builders face when building in rural areas.

“One of the issues with constructing new homes in rural communities is that you can’t build a home and then sell it for the money you have in it. And that’s because the markets just aren’t as vibrant and it’s both a function of demand and a function of the appraisal process.” 

Hunsaker says funding for the homes is through the Federal Home Loan Bank, with additional support from the Workforce Housing Tax Credits. He adds, two of the lots were donated by the City of Jefferson and the other two were from their Housing Trust Fund.