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Council accepts donation of Jewish Community Center property; city outlines plan for supportive housing redevelopment
Summary
Council accepted a donation of the Jewish Community Center property and discussed plans to secure and transfer the site to a developer for about 30 units of permanent supportive housing, funded through multiple housing programs and tax credit sources.
The council accepted a donation agreement on the consent agenda to accept real estate at 525 Fourteenth Street from Family Wellness Associates and discussed preliminary plans to redevelop the former Jewish Community Center property into permanent supportive housing.
Councilmember Julie (identified in the meeting) said that after the city accepts the donation staff will make minor security and cleanup improvements, secure the property to prevent trespass and fire, and partner with a developer who will present conceptual plans. "The initial plan is, the vision is to redevelop that property into 30 or maybe a couple of more units for permanent supportive housing," Julie said, and added the developer would include on‑site support services and an on‑site manager.
Julie listed funding sources the city intends to pursue or combine: the Iowa National Housing Trust Fund, Iowa Finance Authority Low Income Housing Tax Credits, Federal Home Loan Bank funding, HOME funds and other grants. She said the city expects to apply heavily for forthcoming grant opportunities and hopes construction could begin in 2026 if funding aligns.
The donation acceptance appeared on the consent agenda and passed as part of the council’s unanimous consent approvals. City staff will continue to negotiate terms with a prospective developer and pursue the grant and tax credit funding streams Julie described.
