What you need to know about the Student Built Affordable Housing project in the IC's Northside

Jessica Rish, Iowa City Press-Citizen
·4 min read
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The Housing Fellowship (THF), with the help of student builders, will began construction on a single-family home at 724 Ronalds Street in Iowa City. Once completed, this project will provide a two-bedroom, energy efficient home in a historic neighborhood with limited affordable housing options.
The Housing Fellowship (THF), with the help of student builders, will began construction on a single-family home at 724 Ronalds Street in Iowa City. Once completed, this project will provide a two-bedroom, energy efficient home in a historic neighborhood with limited affordable housing options.

A group of high school students are teaming up with local leaders to redefine local development.

Construction is underway on a new single-family home in Iowa City’s northside neighborhood with the help of the Iowa City Community School District. The Housing Fellowship and several aspiring student carpenters will spearhead the two-bedroom energy-efficient home.

The Student Built House program provides students with on-site vocational training by building a home while working with an experienced team of trade partners. Iowa City High School, West High School and Liberty High School students took a prerequisite course during the 2022-2023 school year to prepare for this year's in-person project. They will spend about half their school day on-site.

The Housing Fellowship is hoping to take advantage of a proposed zoning change that allows affordable housing to become more equitable. The Iowa City City Council will vote on the proposed zoning changes at a future meeting, hoping to provide more code flexibility as well.

Here is what you need to know about the student project and affordable housing in Iowa City:

What is The Housing Fellowship?

The Housing Fellowship (THF) is a non-profit organization that aims to provide long-term, affordable housing to income-qualified families in the Iowa City area. To make this project possible, THF has joined forces with the Iowa City Community School District’s Student Built House Program, the Iowa City Home Builders Association, the City of Iowa City, and the Vocational Training Council. The partnership is the first of its kind in the Northside community.

What is affordable housing?

Affordable housing is deemed affordable to those with a household income at or below the median as rated by the national or local government.

The council approved its first affordable housing action plan in 2016, which included 15 action steps and changes to zoning regulations.

The city also released a Fair Housing Choice Study in 2019, which identified the lack of affordable rental housing in Iowa City. The city then updated its Affordable Housing Action Plan in 2022. A recent study also revealed that residential growth isn’t keeping up with housing demand.

Iowa City’s neighborhood development and services committee offered a number of zoning code amendments at a city council work session Aug. 15. The goal of the amendments are to improve housing choice, increase housing supply and encourage affordability.

“Our community is growing, however, housing supply is not meeting the demand,” Anne Russett with neighborhood development and services said during her presentation Aug. 15.

The goals of the proposed zoning code changes would increase housing availability while offering diverse housing options. The changes, Russett said, will remove barriers for homes that cost less than single family homes, i.e. duplexes, townhomes and accessory apartments.

The changes will also address limited access for persons with disabilities.

The Iowa City City Council is scheduled to make a decision on the zoning changes at Tuesday’s meeting. A public hearing seeking public input on the zoning codes is also set for Sept. 19.

How will affordable housing maintain historic standards?

The new home will be located at 724 Ronalds St. in a historic neighborhood with limited access to affordable housing. The house will be energy-efficient while adhering to historic standards, replacing an old, crumbling structure. The design was approved by the City of Iowa City’s Historic Preservation Commission, and the project broke ground on Sept. 6.

Student Contractors

Local Iowa City high school students will work on the project with THF and partnering organizations to complete the house. With the help of its partners, this new venture is possible due to construction and land costs, as well as the expenses associated with historic district design requirements and energy efficiency features.

Moving Forward

The student-built house is expected to be complete by May of next year.

Plans for a second affordable house are already in motion, to be built next door. The contractors plan to have the second house completed next school year.

Funding for the Student Built Home Program is being provided by Iowa City’s Affordable Housing Fund in addition to loans from the Housing Trust Fund and First Interstate Bank. The school district is also seeking donations and grant funding.

Jessica Rish is an entertainment, dining and business reporter for the Iowa City Press-Citizen. She can be reached at JRish@presscitizen.com.

This article originally appeared on Iowa City Press-Citizen: Students partner with The Housing Fellowship to build affordable Iowa City home