HF 2618 repeals Iowa's "smart planning principles" (sections 18B.1 and 18B.2), which required local governments and state agencies to consider 10 specific guidelines in planning, zoning, and development decisions. The bill removes these requirements from state code, eliminating the obligation for cities, counties, and state agencies to reference or apply these principles when creating comprehensive plans, zoning regulations, or infrastructure projects. It also deletes related references from other sections of Iowa law governing regional planning (28I.4), airport zoning (329.3), and local development regulations (335.5, 414.3). This change directly affects how local governments approach land use and development planning across Iowa.
HF 2698 regulates business entities that own residential properties (like apartment complexes or multi-unit homes) by requiring clear disclosure that buyers are purchasing an ownership interest in the business, not the property itself. It prohibits businesses from charging transfer fees for ownership interests, restricting sales based on discrimination, or forcing disputes to non-court forums. The law also bans businesses from taking actions that would violate Iowa’s civil rights laws (Chapter 216) if the interest were real estate, such as denying sales to qualified buyers. Violations are enforced under Iowa’s consumer fraud laws, allowing courts to issue injunctions or impose penalties. This directly affects residential property owners operating as businesses and their residents.
SF 645 is an appropriations bill that allocates state funds to support economic development programs in Iowa. It provides funding to the Economic Development Authority, Iowa Finance Authority, Department of Workforce Development, and the State Board of Regents and their institutions. The bill also extends the end date for the Housing Renewal Pilot Program, allowing it to continue operating beyond its originally scheduled termination.
HF 1040 allocates $12.9 million for Iowa's Economic Development Authority (EDA) and related agencies for fiscal year 2025-2026 to support statewide economic growth. It directs funds toward workforce recruitment, business development (including grants for women-owned startups), tourism marketing, and community economic programs, while requiring recipient businesses to hire U.S. citizens or authorized workers. The bill also eliminates the repeal of Iowa's housing renewal pilot program and appropriates additional funds for the World Food Prize ($650,000) and tourism advertising ($1.02 million). These provisions directly affect state agencies, local communities, and businesses receiving EDA financial assistance.
HF 1008 creates a legal framework for Iowa municipalities to establish "land redevelopment trusts" aimed at addressing blighted, abandoned, or dilapidated properties. These trusts, created by city ordinance or county resolution, can acquire, rehabilitate, and manage such properties to revitalize neighborhoods and boost tax revenue. The bill defines key terms like "blighted" (unsafe, deteriorated properties) and outlines that trusts must be governed by local boards composed of officials or employees, serving without pay. This enables communities to proactively restore non-productive properties into productive uses, such as affordable housing or commercial spaces, without mandating specific actions.
HF 975 amends multiple economic development and community programs in Iowa, affecting local governments, businesses, and residents participating in initiatives like brownfield redevelopment, historic preservation, tourism marketing, and homelessness services. It modifies tax credit programs for brownfields, grayfields, and historic preservation, adjusts funding for tourism and community attraction, and updates the Iowa Reinvestment Act. The bill also clarifies applicability and retroactive provisions for these programs. Signed into law by the Governor on June 6, 2025, it updates existing frameworks rather than creating new programs.
HF 876 requires sellers to disclose whether a property has lead service lines (pipes carrying water) as part of standard real estate disclosure forms. This directly affects home buyers and sellers in Minnesota during property transactions. The bill adds specific language to existing disclosure documents to ensure buyers are informed about potential lead pipe risks before purchasing. It became law after passing unanimously in both chambers and receiving the Governor's signature on June 6, 2025.
HF 1037 modifies economic development and urban renewal provisions to encourage housing development, affecting municipalities and housing developers. The bill expands the definition of "economic development" to include the provision of workforce housing and requires public bodies to consider workforce housing development policies. For housing projects in certain urban renewal areas, it caps the required amount of low and moderate-income housing at 20% of the original project cost. Additionally, the bill extends the period for collecting tax increment financing revenue for these specific projects to 20 fiscal years.
This bill mandates that counties and cities in Iowa must allow at least one accessory dwelling unit (ADU) on lots with single-family residences. It directly affects property owners by standardizing and simplifying the process of building ADUs, and local governments by limiting their regulatory authority. The legislation sets statewide parameters, such as allowing ADUs up to 1,000 square feet or 50% of the main house, whichever is larger. It prohibits local ordinances from imposing overly restrictive rules on aspects like design, parking, owner-occupancy, or separate utility connections. Furthermore, it requires local governments to approve compliant ADU permits without discretionary review, following the same timeline as single-family home permits.
