NRDP-FHLB Partnerships
Here are some of the successful partnerships that State Councils have had
with the Federal Home Loan Bank. For more information, please contact
Rick Wetherill in the Office of
Community Development.
The Indiana Rural Development Council formed the Indiana Housing Assistance Review Team (IHART), which brings together the Federal Home Loan Bank, HUD, USDA/Rural Development, state housing agencies, and non-profit housing developers. By focusing the resources of all these partners, this group is able to accomplish much more than they would have been able to do working separately. For instance, IHART developed the IHART Housing Assistance Review Form to assist potential applicants seeking assistance for housing projects in their community.
In the summer and fall of 2000, the Iowa Housing Roundtable, in cooperation with Governor Vilsack's office, contracted with Dr. Heather McDonald of the University of Iowa to conduct a statewide housing needs assessment. The Roundtable is a policy-making body convened and staffed by the Iowa Rural Development Council. Active federal representatives on the Roundtable include HUD, USDA-RD, and the Federal Home Loan Bank. Dr. McDonald's study marks the first organized attempt to identify and prioritize Iowa's most critical housing needs. The results helped the Roundtable, key state agencies, the Iowa legislature, and the Governor's office craft housing policies and programs and plan for future funding. The Iowa Finance Authority, Iowa Department of Economic Development, and Fannie Mae Foundation provided funding for Dr. McDonald's work. Roundtable members provided information and met monthly to help guide the study. The Governor's office formed a Citizen's Task Force comprised of developers, representatives of non-profit organizations, and other community leaders to help craft a series of policy recommendations based on the assessment results. The Roundtable continues to partner to address the state's housing needs, including the Governor's Housing Conference held in November 2001 to heighten awareness of housing issues and resources among rural communities.
The Iowa Rural Development Council's housing work group, made up of private and public sector representatives, was a catalyst for the development of the interagency Housing Assistance Review Team (HART) process. HART uses a common pre-application process so that federal and state housing program staff can more easily and effectively coordinate applications and projects. HART partners include: HUD, Federal Home Loan Bank, USDA's Rural Housing program, Iowa Finance Authority, and Iowa Department of Economic Development.
