Strategic Plan:
Public Housing Resident

HUD requires no resident initiatives due to the small number of Public Housing units owned by the City. The Housing Authority, however, encourages tenant input through the monthly newletter for Public Housing tenants. In addition, the ICHA holds meetings with tenants as new programs such as TOP and ADHOP are developed. The ICHA continues to encourage and act as a resource for the development of home based businesses.

The Iowa City Housing Authority proposes to convert public housing rental units to tenant ownership through the Tenant-to-Owner Program (TOP). The homeownership program will initially include 20 units of the housing stock of the Iowa City Housing Authority. This program assists the families in public housing to purchase their own home and by doing so provide an impetus to the families to maintain their independence. An important part of this program is to ensure that the number of rental units available to very low-income families is not diminished by assisting other families to achieve homeownership.

The first mortgage will be amortized over 30 years with a ten-year balloon. The second mortgage will be held by the ICHA. The ICHA will hold a strong second position in case of default by the purchaser. Assistance will be available to residents to prevent default in the first five-year period and to prevent overwhelming maintenance costs. Sale of TOP properties will be conditioned to assure continued affordability.

Presently, the ICHA is completing plans to reinvest the proceeds from these home sales into other affordable homes so that ADHOP may continue.

Potential homebuyers are screened for job stability and income capacity. Preference is given to families who have demonstrated economic self-sufficiency through a stable work history of at least three years and/or those who have completed an education or job training program and who have obtained employment as a result. Families must be income eligible within the range of $25,000-$50,000 per year depending on family size. The potential homebuyer is also screened by local lending institutions for residential loan capabilities. The ICHA provides approved applicants with counseling in order to reduce impediments to obtaining the mortgage loan.