The Iowa Economic Development Authority announced $35.9 million in workforce housing tax credits to support development in 36 counties across the state. The awards will fund 63 projects expected to create nearly 2,000 new residential units; 1,217 in large communities and 752 in smaller towns.

“When families can find quality, affordable homes, they put down roots — and that gives businesses the steady workforce they need,” Debi Durham, director of IEDA and the Iowa Finance Authority, said in a press release. “It’s that kind of stability that keeps our communities strong and our economy moving forward.”

IEDA received 137 applications requesting about $83 million in tax credits. Of the $35 million available for fiscal year 2026, $17.5 million was reserved for projects in Iowa’s 88 least-populated counties. Applications were evaluated on readiness, financing, community impact, developer experience and innovation.

Examples of funded projects include:

• Atlantic, Cass County: Vision Atlantic, a local nonprofit, will add 10 duplex-style homes in the Camblin Hills development. Located near school facilities, a planned child care center and other services, the properties are expected to appeal to workers at large employers like Cass Health, where nearly half of employees currently commute into town.
• Charles City, Floyd County: Urbandale-based Kading Properties will construct Union Place, a 74-unit rental townhome community on land donated by the city and the Charles City Area Development Corp. The site is within a half mile of major employers including Cambrex, Floyd County Medical Center and Zoetis.
• Cumming, Warren County: Diligent Development of West Des Moines will create a mixed-use building with 32 apartments, 16 garages and ground-floor retail in Middlebrook, Iowa’s first agrihood and an extension of the city’s historic downtown. The investment will help address workforce housing needs near Hy-Vee’s new distribution center and other growing employers.
• Oskaloosa, Mahaska County: West Des Moines-based Hubbell Realty Co. will develop about 50 two-bedroom, two-story townhomes off Coal Mine Road on the west side of town. The effort responds to strong rental demand driven by expansions at Clow Valve Co., Mahaska Health and Musco Lighting.

The Workforce Housing Tax Credit program supports projects that redevelop abandoned, vacant or deteriorated properties. For more information about the program, visit iowaeda.com/workforce-housing-tax-credit.

Affordable housing projects that will benefit from the tax credit in Central Iowa include (applicant, project title, city, county, number of units, total tax credit):

Polk

• R-Pact Granger 1, Prairie Edge Lofts, Granger, 42, $1 million
• Tarifa Apartments, Junction Lofts, West Des Moines, 14, $289,880
• HOA Aston, The Aston, Des Moines, 161, $1 million
• Telus Condos, Telus Condos, Des Moines, 32, $644,400

Story

• Northpark Row, Northpark Rowhomes, Huxley, 92, $1 million
• Sierra Heights, Sierra Heights, Nevada, 138, $1 million
• Keystone Equity Group, Harrison Court – Ames, 12, $261,496
• JAMC Real Estate Solutions, Rock Creek Ridge — Maxwell, Maxwell, 6, $210,750
• Oak Park Estates, Oak Park Estates Townhomes — Nevada, 4, $90,371

Warren

• DHC 1, Cumming Mixed Use, Cumming, 32, $1 million

Marion

• Red Rocks Apts Series II, Red Rocks Residences, Knoxville, 10, $380,250
• Origin Homes 2025, Knoxville Phase 3, Knoxville, 5, $199,999

Boone

• Prairie Place, Prairie Place Phase 2, Boone, Boone, 24, $823,393

Guthrie

• Origin Homes 2025, Panora — Dream Acres Housing, Panora, 5, $199,999

Jasper

• Front Porch Development, Front Porch Homes — Newton, Newton, 2, $73,980