Lack of affordable housing concern for Jasper County

Editor’s note: This is the third in a series of articles exploring the results of the Jasper County Community Health Needs Assessment.

Following mental health and substance misuse and lack of healthcare professionals, lack of affordable housing rounds out the top three priorities for Jasper County. According to the Jasper County Community Health Needs Assessment, secondary data indicates that housing costs and rates of substandard housing are slightly higher than Iowa rates.

Of residents surveyed, almost half, or 46.65 percent, reported experiencing a problem with their current living arrangement. Housing damage was identified as the top issue for almost half of respondents with lack of affordable housing impacting just more than 20 percent of the residents.

For home owners or renters that have issues the top response was lack of complete plumbing facilities followed by lack of complete kitchen facilities, one or more occupants per room and monthly housing costs, both renting and owning, greater than 30 percent.

The percentage of housing units with substandard conditions in Jasper County is 23.8 percent, higher than the Iowa rate of 23.41 percent. The only specific condition where Jasper County performs more poorly than the state is housing units lacking a complete kitchen. Housing units in Jasper County (2.64 percent) that lack a complete kitchen is 2.65 percent higher compared to the state at 2.64 percent.

In the county, 23.58 percent of households have housing costs exceeding 30 percent of their total household income. The rate is slightly higher than the state average of 23.04 percent.

The county did come in under the state average for overcrowding, which is defined as more than one occupant per room at 1.22 percent compared to 1.75 percent for the state.

For current living conditions, 95.65 percent of those surveyed said they have a steady place to live and 96.46 percent are not worried about their housing status for the next two months.

To address a lack of affordable housing, the county will work to promote affordable and safe housing resources within the county. To do that, it plans to launch a public awareness campaign through local media, highlighting the importance of affordable and safe housing in improving community health. It will work with the Jasper County Care Coalition (JCCC) to share new information and update the resource guide with what is available to residents. Central Iowa Shelter and Services will lead a Point in Time homeless count once a year in the county and JCCC will explore ways to reduce homelessness within the county.

IMPACT will promote services in the community by offering open events with community partners including Discover Hope. Habitat for Humanity will work to build at least three houses in Newton by 2027, explore fundraising opportunities and look for way to work with Iowa Prison Industries for affordable housing.

JCCC will also work with area school housing/homeless contacts to make resources available and have a referral process. Finally, JCCC partners that work specifically on housing will meet to discuss resources, protocols and gaps of service for affordable living situations. The county’s goal is to have these strategies complete by Dec. 31, 2027.