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Accomplishments...
New
Construction Rental Units To date, CHI has been awarded 21 new construction projects (362 rental units) in communities ranging in size from 800 to 85,000. New construction projects include units for small and large families, seniors and even projects which provide for seniors in one building and families in a building on an adjacent property. What distinguishes a CHI project is that as a developer they work closely with community representatives to identify housing needs, economic development initiatives, and community priorities for new construction. Local input is critical in the development process and results in long-term “local ownership” of the project. Historic
Rehabilitation
Housing Special Needs Populations Importantly,
non-profit service providers play a key role in designing resident
apartment units and selecting fixtures that meet the needs of residents
with disabilities. Service providers also work with CHI to develop
supportive services plans for residents. CHI has developed two projects
for adults with developmental disabilities, one project for adults
with chronic mental illness, and recently opened a senior affordable
assisted living building. Furthermore, for the past three years,
CHI has opted to equip 25% of downtown historic rehabilitation units
for residents with physical, sight or hearing impairments. In doing
so, CHI exceeds minimum handicapped accessibility requirements by
20%. The increase in handicapped accessible units is attributable
to strong demand for downtown housing with easy access to social
events, shopping, recreation and professional services.
Preservation of Affordable Housing Since 2002,
Community Housing Initiatives has worked closely with the Iowa Finance
Authority and Iowa Department of Economic Development to secure
financing to purchase 160 units of affordable housing through the
preservation program. Financing packages for preservation projects
integrate funds for renovations including new siding, windows, paint,
furnaces, water heaters, refrigerators, stoves, hot water heaters
and carpet. |
Community Housing Initiatives, Inc. (CHI) was created in 1993 by
a Northwest Iowa Community Action Agency, Upper Des Moines Opportunity.
The concept for a non-profit affordable housing organization was
the result of a strategic planning session that revealed many Iowa
families are caught in a cycle of poverty in part because of a lack
of decent, safe and energy efficient affordable housing. CHI was
formed to address the lack of new and affordable housing options
for families seeking to transition from dependency on public assistance
programs. Until its formation, no single non-profit organization
had been designed to focus specifically on increasing housing throughout
Iowa. Because of its early success and CHI’s on-going commitment
to re-investment into housing, CHI has become a major player in
the expansion of affordable housing in Iowa. Community Housing Initiatives,
Inc. is 501(c) (3) non-profit organization and has been designated
Community Housing Development Organization (CHDO) for the entire
State of Iowa.
An important new direction of project development is the expansion
of the rental amenity package to include comprehensive supportive
services for residents with special needs. Partnering affordable
housing with a service plan empowers residents with special needs
to live independently and creates supportive living opportunities
not currently offered within the community. Partnerships with service
providers have been successful because they pair an organization
with housing expertise and an organization with service expertise.
CHI develops, owns and manages properties, providing a safe and
affordable living environment for the service provider’s consumer
population.
