National Homeownership Month

Helping people access resources and programs promoting homeownership is a cornerstone of affordable housing and even more important in during the post-COVID recovery. There are many resources available to help educate potential future homeowners about the “ins and outs” of buying a home. Check out some of the following websites for more information or to use in your own outreach:
  • Iowa Finance Authority put together a toolkit for first-time homebuyers.
  • President Biden’s Proclamation on National Homeownership Month

From the President's Desk...

Greetings from the afterglow called the end of the 2021 Iowa Legislature! During the interim, the Iowa Housing Partnership (“IHP”) will move from a weekly email to every other week. We’ll update you on our interim activities, outreach and pertinent affordable housing events as they come up.

We are continuing in our introducing of the IHP’s Board Members, frankly it’s a bit of a bragging effort on our part, because we have such a wide, diverse, and strong board membership. This week it will be devoted to Abbie Gaffey. Abbie joined our board a year ago, and is our regional representative from Northwest Iowa, along with being our Board secretary.

Since 2006, Abbie has been a Community Development Program Specialist for Iowa State University Extension & Outreach.  She received a B.S. in journalism and political science from Wayne State College in 1989 and an M.S. in Community Development from Iowa State University in 2013. Abbie works as part of the Local Government and Housing Knowledge Team on a variety of statewide projects including the Rural Housing Readiness Assessment Program, strategic planning, and organizational development.

Prior to joining Extension, Abbie spent 12 years as the City of Sioux City’s Community & Economic Development Project Coordinator, administering U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development housing, neighborhood revitalization, and economic development programs.

Abbie has also previously worked in nonprofit organizational planning and as a newspaper reporter. Her other areas of expertise include historic preservation, grant writing, and municipal planning. She also serves on the boards of many important groups, such as:

  • Iowa Community Development
  • Siouxland Area Agency on Aging Senior Housing Board, and
  • Community Housing Initiatives, Inc. Board of Directors

With wide experience like this, IHP is so very lucky to have Abbie serve on this board, and we are excited about it!

With that, we want all to remember, the Iowa Housing Partnership was created to be THE affordable housing advocate and educator in Iowa. Let’s put our creative efforts together and push to a common goal – creating Iowa’s best affordable housing network possible. 

—Dan Garrett

Thank You!

We would like to thank Horizon Bank (of Waverly, Nebraska) and the Lighten-Gale, LLC for their renewals this past week!

Please:

    • Consider joining IHP if you are not already.
    • Consider renewing if you are a member and haven’t already renewed.
    • Participate in our events & Zoom calls.
    • Participate in our surveys.