Polk County Housing Trust Fund

09/04/2026

Labor Day is a time to celebrate all kinds of workers who build and support our communities and imagine brighter futures for themselves, their families, and our country.

09/03/2026

09/02/2026

NEXT WEEK: Pulitzer Prize winner Brian Goldstone delivers a public lecture on his book "There Is No Place for Us" focusing on working families who experience homelessness in Atlanta.

Registration is required; the event will also stream on The Harkin Institute's YouTube channel. Follow the link for more details and to register.

The Harkin Institute and Anawim Housing are proud to host Pulitzer winner Brian Goldstone to share insights at the Sussman Lecture this fall

08/31/2026

A good opportunity to get the lastest information on our local land trust:

Next month come and learn about what we have been up, all the progress we have made, and our plans for the future! Join us on September 14th at 5:30pm at the United Way building. RSVP here: https://www.ciclt.org/events

08/28/2026

Housing is about finding a way forward even when it feels like you've got a long way to go.

Working in housing, we've been with people on their worst days, facing situations that seem overwhelming.

Together with so many people across the community, we're joining forces to build homes and programs that help people reach a better place.

Each person's situation is unique, but every person deserves a safe, stable home.

08/27/2026

Heads up! TOMORROW (8/28) is the deadline to apply for this unique career-building opportunity!

When you hear about new housing developments being built, do you ever think about what it would be like to work on one yourself?

PCHTF began the Develop the Developer Launchpad to demystify the world of housing development and help people interested in getting started build skills and relationships they need. The program is gearing up for its second two-week multifamily development boot camp in September.

📅 The 2026 multifamily boot camp will be held September 14-25 with a graduation event October 2. Registration is now open until the program is full or August 28.
💭 Learn more, including how to register at https://pchtf.org/dtdl

08/27/2026

Across the country, faith organizations are increasingly seeking opportunities to be part of local housing solutions, a movement sometimes called "Yes In God's Back Yard" or YIGBY. Now, we're inviting community members and faith leaders to help us build an inventory of such projects that have been completed in Iowa.

You can share examples of faith organizations helping develop and improve local housing.

08/26/2026

When families lack stable housing, kids may have to change schools unexpectedly, which can set back their educational progress.

Eviction, doubling up with other families to stay housed, unsafe conditions - these housing problems follow kids to school and make learning harder.

People have shared their stories with us
- a child receiving specialized educational supports has to start over in a new place
- kids who used to live near school now face a long journey to get there
- a change in a housing situation has made home life more stressful

Stable housing matters because kids' futures matter. Every kid deserves the opportunity to learn and grow.

08/25/2026

Most new homes have wooden frames, but what holds up affordable housing is often its funding stack. Let us explain.

"Funding stack" is a term for the multiple different sources of funding a developer has to tap into to build a building offering below-market rents.

A lot of funding for affordable housing comes from the federal government, but numerous private, state and local sources are involved too, like local housing trust funds (that's us!)

These days, it may require a dozen different overlapping funding sources to build a building. That makes building housing tougher, and requires strong partnerships and hard work to offer housing the community needs.

08/21/2026