IFA Programs

HOUSINGIOWA SINGLE-FAMILY PROGRAMS

First Home and FirstHome Plus Programs
IFA’s FirstHome and FirstHome Plus programs offer qualified homebuyers affordable mortgage financing with a fixed interest rate. The programs offer buyer’s flexible credit qualification and lower down payment. More than 400 participating lenders around Iowa offer the program.

Military Service Member Homeownership Assistance Program
The Iowa legislature created the Military Service Member Homeownership Assistance Program in 2005 to help eligible members of the armed forces of the purchase qualified homes in Iowa through grants. These funds may be used in conjunction with FirstHome, FirstHome Plus and the RuralHome Subsidy programs.

HOUSINGIOWA AFFORDABLE RENTAL PRODUCTION PROGRAMS

Affordable Assisted Living
The affordable assisted living program develops an individualized service plan for each resident and helps them access a variety of programs available to lower income Iowans in order to procure the services they need to promote wellness and independence.

Aftercare Rent Subsidy Program
The Aftercare Rent Subsidy Program provides financial assistance for youth who are aging out of the foster care system and are participants in the Aftercare Services Program. The program’s goal is to teach Iowa youth independence, life skills, and renter rights and responsibilities.

Home- and Community-Based Services Rent Subsidy Program
The Home- and Community-Based Service Rent Subsidy Programprovides temporary rental assistance for people who receive medically necessary services through Medicaid waivers until the person becomes eligible for another public or private rent subsidy.

Home- and Community-Based Services Revolving Loan Fund
The Home and Community-Based Services Revolving Loan Program Fund assists the development and expansion of facilities and infrastructure that provide adult day services, respite services, and congregate meals for low-income people.

Housing Tax Credit Program
The Tax Reform Act of 1986 created the tax credit as an incentive for Housing Tax Credit (HTC) project owners to invest in the development of rental housing for individuals and families with fixed or limited incomes. The tax credit, rather than a direct federal subsidy, provides a dollar for dollar reduction (or credit) to offset an owner's federal tax liability on ordinary income. IFA administers HTC allocation and compliance.

Housing Tax Credit Qualified Contract Properties For Sale
These private properties have been posted for sale in accordance with Section 42 of the Internal Revenue Code. IFA serves as the Housing Tax Credit administrator for the State of Iowa and is required by the Internal Revenue Code to solicit qualified buyers when requested to do so by certain private owners. IFA makes no warranties or representations regarding either the information posted or the properties being offered for sale. Potential buyers should contact the seller’s representative for additional information about any of the properties listed here.

Main Street Mortgage Loan Program
A partnership between Main Street Iowa, the Iowa Finance Authority and the Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines, the Main Street Mortgage Loan program provides funds to Main Street communities in Iowa for community development projects.

Multifamily Housing Loan Program
The Iowa Finance Authority's Multifamily Housing Loan Program seeks to preserve the existing supply of affordable rental units at risk of being lost and to foster the production of new affordable units in Iowa.

State Housing Trust Fund
The State Housing Trust Fund (SHTF) helps ensure decent, safe and affordable housing for Iowans through two important programs. The Local Housing Trust Fund Program received 60 percent of the SHTF allocation to provide grants for communities, counties and organizations that wish to create a local housing trust fund. The remaining 40 percent goes to the Project-Based Housing Program that aids the development and rehabilitation of single-family and multifamily housing. The Iowa Finance Authority administers both programs and provides technical assistance to housing-related organziations.

Iowa Council on Homelessness
The state of Iowa, through the Iowa Council on Homelessness, is committed to ensuring that all Iowans have access to safe, decent and affordable housing. As part of the Iowa Finance Authority, the ICH and its 36 member work to identify issues, raise awareness and secure resources that will allow all homeless Iowans to become self-sufficient.

COMPLIANCE DIVISION

Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Program
The Tax Reform Act of 1986 created the tax credit as an incentive for Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) project owners to invest in the development of rental housing for individuals and families with fixed or limited incomes. The tax credit, rather than a direct federal subsidy, provides a dollar for dollar reduction (or credit) to offset an owner's federal tax liability on ordinary income. IFA administers LIHTC allocation and compliance.

Section 8 Contract Administration
Operating under a performance-based Annual Contributions Contract with the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the Iowa Finance Authority provides administrative services to HUD to monitor performance of owners and management agents participating in project-based Housing Assistance Payments.

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES

Economic Development Loan Program
Through its Economic Development Loan Program, the Iowa Finance Authority issues bonds and loans the proceeds thereof to private entities or organizations for eligible purposes. The interest on the bonds may be tax-exempt (if eligible under the Internal Revenue Code), taxable, or a combination of both.

Private Activity Bond Cap Allocation
The state of Iowa annually receives several million of volume cap (the "State Ceiling") to be allocated to certain private activity bonds set forth in Section 146 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. Section 7C of the Iowa Code distributes the State Ceiling among these types of bonds.

TITLE GUARANTY DIVISION

IFA's Title Guaranty Division offers a low-cost mechanism to guarantee title to real property in Iowa, working with attorneys and lenders throughout the state to ensure the integrity of the land title transfer system and to facilitate lenders sales to the secondary mortgage market.

WATER QUALITY DIVISION

State Revolving Fund
The State Revolving Fund provides the lowest cost funds for drinking water and waste water facilities in Iowa. Federal grants allow for low-interest loans to help communities affordably build or update clean water facilities. This saves money on citizen's water and sewer bills.

State Revolving Fund Planning & Design Loans
Planning and Design Loans cover costs incurred in the planning and design phase of a proposed water infrastructure project. These loans have 0 percent interest for up to three years. Eligible costs include engineering fees, archaeological surveys, environmental or geological studies, and costs related to project plan preparation and submission. The loans may be rolled into a State Revolving Fund construction loan or can be repaid when permanent financing is committed.

State Revolving Fund Construction Loans
State Revolving Fund (SRF) Construction Loans fund the creation of public drinking water and wastewater infrastructure projects for cities and utilities. These loans have a low interest rate of 3 percent and a term of up to 30 years.

The Livestock Water Quality Program (LWQ)
This program offers low-interest loans through participating lenders to Iowa livestock producers for projects to prevent, minimize or eliminate non-point source pollution of Iowa’s rivers and streams from animal feeding operations with less than 1,000 total animal unit capacity (AUC). This program is administered by the Division of Soil Conservation (DSC) of the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship through its local Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCD) with Iowa Finance Authority (IFA) acting as the financial agent.

Local Water Protection Program
The Local Water Protection Program offers low-interest loans through participating lenders to Iowa landowners for projects to control the runoff of sediment, nutrients, pesticides or other nonpoint source pollutants from entering Iowa waters.

Onsite Wastewater Assistance Program (OSWAP)
This program offers low-interest loans through participating lenders to rural homeowners for the replacement of inadequate or failing septic systems. According to Iowa law, all septic systems, regardless of when they were installed, must have a secondary wastewater treatment system following the septic tank.The program is limited to owners of existing homes (not new construction) in unincorporated areas of Iowa not served by a public sewer. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources administers the program in cooperation with County Sanitarians. The Iowa Finance Authority acts as the financial agent.

Stormwater Loan Program
This program offers low-interest loans through participating lenders for projects to control stormwater runoff. These loans offer incentives for developers, landowners, watershed organizations and others for installing infiltration-based stormwater quality practices. The Division of Soil Conservation of the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship administer the program through its local Soil and Water Conservation Districts; the Iowa Finance Authority is the financial agent.