Diana Robinson, housing planner at the East Central Iowa Council of Governments, told the Benton County Board of Supervisors on Jan. 7 that the East Central Iowa Housing Trust Fund has been awarded major grants to help homeowners across the four-county region.

Robinson said the trust fund received “a $3,100,000 award for the region” to pay for lead-hazard reduction work and that the trust fund dedicated $100,000 in local match to leverage the federal dollars. She also said the program won a home down-payment assistance award that, with a $20,000 local match, totaled roughly $2,006,000 and could provide up to $37,000 per household in assistance.

The funding will target rural communities and older homes with lead hazards. “Ninety percent of the funds have to go towards children’s homes where the children are under age 6,” Robinson said, adding that homes where young children spend a significant amount of time — for example, when a grandparent regularly babysits — may also be eligible. Robinson told the board that Benton County Public Health prepared a letter of support for the HUD application.

Robinson said the trust fund anticipates assisting about 90 households across the region through 2029 and that the county’s 2025 activity included four rehabilitation projects in Benton County totaling about $65,000 and a $30,000 down-payment award to a local teacher. She said exact awards for down-payment assistance will depend on remediation needs such as lead or radon hazards, which must be addressed before finalizing assistance amounts.

As part of the HUD grant, Robinson said the program will support lead-abatement training and certification for local contractors, estimating training for about 10 contractors and 30 workers. The training is intended to prevent improper work that can worsen lead exposure when contractors are unaware of federal lead protocols.

Robinson asked supervisors for continued county support of the trust fund’s local match and for help as the program begins coordination with Benton County Public Health. “We’ll be back in touch with more information” about eligibility and how to apply, she said; she also noted the program was still negotiating details with HUD.

County supervisors asked clarifying questions about prioritization and the number of households assisted locally. Robinson confirmed that most of the HUD dollars must prioritize homes with young children and that the match funds can help some households that do not qualify under that priority. Benton County officials and EC COG staff agreed to coordinate on outreach and program rollout in the spring.

The presentation concluded with staff and supervisors expressing support for the program and appreciation for the work EC COG has done to secure and administer regional grants.