November 2012 eNewsletter

Contact Us

108 3rd Street

Ste. 350

Des Moines, IA 50309

Phone: (515) 282-3233

Fax: (515) 282-8444

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Find previous issues of our eNewsletter in the eArchive.

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2013 Bus Tour Dates Announced

Save the Dates

April 19, 2013

July 19, 2013

October 18, 2013

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Full Photo Album from Fall Bus Tour

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Issue: November 2012

BREAKING NEWS:

The City and The Tomorrow Plan Release Housing Report

This morning the City of Des Moines and The Tomorrow Plan released their report on Impediments to Housing in the region. Required by the Department of Housing and Urban Development the report finds eight challenges and suggests their potential solutions. Read the Executive Summary and find the complete report HERE.

Is Homelessness Our Issue?

How an affordable housing funder can be a leader in ending homelessness

At its last meeting the Polk County Continuum of Care adopted a goal to reduce homelessness in the county by 50% before 2020. That is a big stretch when data shows our homeless population increasing.

There are two causes of homelessness. The first is lack of sufficient income. This cause is best addressed by a complex network of organizations that work on lifting people out of poverty. The second cause is an insufficient or unbalanced inventory of affordable housing units. Addressing this second cause aligns with the PCHTF's Mission. It is our purpose to help supply the right inventory at the right time to align with the financial ability of individuals and families needing housing. For more information go to our Community Housing Policy Site or the Polk County Continuum of Care website.

Other News

Before & After

1915 ML King Parkway

During 2011, Hawthorn Hill received four single family homes donated by Wells Fargo. The homes were foreclosures, and although structurally sound, they were in very poor condition. One of the homes is located at 1915 ML King Parkway.

Fall 2012 Bus Tour

Bethany Wilcoxon Shares Insights

Often times, many people go about their daily lives with little to no thought of affordable housing in our region. Thanks to the Polk County Housing Trust Fund's Fall 2012 Bus Tour, over forty community leaders were reminded of the very serious issues regarding affordable housing in the urban core.

A Clear Call for Affordable Workforce Housing

The Tomorrow Plan researchers pinpoint need for more affordable units to house area's growing workforce

"Employer-assisted housing programs and policies encouraging the creation and preservation of affordable workforce housing will be critical if the state employment forecast materializes and indeed will be a necessary condition for anywhere near the amount of employment growth forecast to be realized." from Gruen+Gruen report for TTP

Opening Doors Ceremony

Celebrating Stories of Homelessness to Hope

The Polk County Housing Continuum will hold its annual Opening Doors Awards Ceremony on November 14th from 11:30 - 1:00 PM. at the downtown Marriott. For those of you who have not yet heard of Opening Doors, it is our opportunity as a community to celebrate the achievements of those experiencing homelessness in the Des Moines metro area. This year, we will be using the event to start an endowment that can be utilized to benefit those experiencing homelessness in our community.

Steve Patterson has the Floor

Each month a PCHTF Board Member shares their commitment to Affordable Housing.

I've heard it said, and I believe it to be true, that what we remember from childhood we remember forever. One of my forever memories came from being raised in a Des Moines neighborhood at the corner of East 30th and University. Right at the front door of the Iowa State Fair.

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Supported by United Way of Central Iowa