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  • One Developer Awarded Funds Through State Disaster Recovery New Housing Pgm. For Spencer Talks About Their Plans

One Developer Awarded Funds Through State Disaster Recovery New Housing Pgm. For Spencer Talks About Their Plans

August 21, 2024 Steve Schwaller

(Des Moines)– As we reported earlier, Governor Kim Reynolds has announced the State Disaster Recovery New Housing Grant Program has awarded more than $7.2 million for the construction of 175 single-family and multi-family homes in flood-ravaged communities. Three of those projects awarded funding are in Spencer. One is being developed by Stellence, which plans to construct a 24 unit rental complex in the city. Spokesman Drew Hage tells KUOO news they had first been in contact with Spencer officials in early spring, before the flood…

“One of the things we were interested in is some multi-family development. After the flooding happened this became a very high priority and we wanted to talk more to the city, reached out, touched base on the piece of property again, and submitted the application and were awarded. So very excited to work with the city of Spencer and develop a 24 unit apartment with them.”

Hage says depending on the permitting process and the weather, they’re hoping to start construction yet this fall…

“The property is zoned correctly for multi-family which is nice, and if we can get started this fall, looking potentially to have it ready to move into by June.”

Hage says the project will have a big impact on the region as a whole…

“I mean you’re looking at the whole area as a whole, looking at that workforce development piece, so people that live in Okoboji work in Spencer and vice versa. And this being a big need in Spencer right now for more housing supports a four county area, a large area of northwest Iowa. So we see this as a really nice project with the city of Spencer.”

Other developers receiving grants through the program for projects in Spencer include the Northwest Iowa Corridor Habitat for Humanity, which plans to build two single-family homes; and CR Lloyd Associates which plans to construct 25 single family homes.

***NOTE***This corrects a previous version of this story.

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