Housing

in committee · Iowa · Senate Mar 5, 2025

SSB 1195: A bill for an act relating to homelessness including unauthorized use of public land, sanctioned camping, drug-free homeless service zones, and funding for homeless services, and providing penalties.

SSB 1195 establishes rules for managing unsheltered homelessness in Iowa. It prohibits unauthorized sleeping or camping on public property but requires officials to first offer shelter services before issuing citations. The bill allows counties and cities to create designated "public camping" areas for unhoused individuals, requiring strict standards like assigned spaces, sanitation access, drug bans, and connections to health services. Local governments must follow these rules or face legal action from residents, business owners, or the attorney general. The bill directly affects unhoused individuals, local governments, and community members near designated camping sites.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill mandates shelter access before citations and creates designated homeless service zones with health connections, prioritizing housing solutions over punitive measures for homelessness.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Homelessness

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Mar 5, 2025

SF 421: A bill for an act relating to property law by modifying provisions related to landlord and tenant law and forcible entry and detainer actions, and including effective date provisions.

SF 421 amends Iowa's landlord-tenant laws to clarify notice requirements, strengthen tenant protections, and update eviction procedures. It specifies that mail notices are deemed delivered four days after mailing (Sections 2, 5), defines "rent" to include utilities and late fees (Section 1), and makes prohibited rental terms unenforceable with tenant remedies for damages (Sections 3, 6). The bill also requires notices to be posted at the property entrance and mailed, with records sealed for residential eviction cases under specific conditions (Sections 4, 7, 11). These changes directly affect tenants and landlords by standardizing communication, limiting unfair terms, and creating record-sealing options for tenants after eviction judgments.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingStrengthens tenant protections by making prohibited rental terms unenforceable, providing tenant remedies for damages, and clarifying notice/eviction procedures per bill summary.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Landlords Renters Tenant Rights

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in committee · Iowa · House Mar 5, 2025

HF 481: A bill for an act relating to rent increases in manufactured home communities and mobile home parks.

This bill limits rent increases in mobile home parks and manufactured home communities to once per calendar year, requiring landlords to provide tenants with 90 days' written notice before any increase. Landlords may only raise rent more frequently if justified by higher insurance premiums or infrastructure costs paid by tenants. It directly affects tenants in these communities by reducing the frequency of unexpected rent hikes. The law amends existing notice and timing rules to provide greater housing cost predictability.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingLimits rent hikes in mobile home parks to once yearly with 90-day notice, requiring justification for exceptions. Directly strengthens tenant protections in affordable housing communities.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Landlords Renters Tenant Rights

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in committee · Iowa · House Mar 5, 2025

HF 745: A bill for an act concerning city regulation of single-family residential property.

HF 745 allows Iowa cities to prohibit corporations or business entities using private equity funds, hedge funds, or real estate funds from purchasing single-family homes between July 1, 2025, and June 30, 2030. This directly affects large investment firms and corporate landlords seeking to buy residential properties in local communities. Cities could implement this restriction through local ordinances during the five-year period, which automatically expires after 2030. The bill aims to limit corporate ownership of single-family homes to promote community welfare, without affecting individual homebuyers or non-corporate entities.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingRestricts corporate landlords' acquisition of single-family homes to preserve affordability and tenant stability, directly addressing housing market dominance by investment firms.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Property Taxes Tenant Rights Zoning

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in committee · Iowa · House Mar 5, 2025

HF 743: A bill for an act concerning city regulation of single-family residential property.

HF 743 would allow Iowa cities to require new buyers of single-family homes to live in the property as their primary residence for at least two years before selling it. The bill defines "occupy" as physically residing in the home as a primary dwelling and permits cities to grant exceptions for "good faith" reasons like job loss or health issues. This requirement would directly affect homebuyers in cities that choose to implement this rule. Cities would have the option to adopt this policy but are not required to do so. The bill focuses on regulating short-term resale activity to promote community stability.

Topics ✗ HousingOpposes HousingRestricts property rights by limiting home sales within two years, directly limiting housing market flexibility and transaction freedom.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Homeownership Tenant Rights Zoning

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in committee · Iowa · House Mar 5, 2025

HF 740: A bill for an act relating to rent increases under residential landlord and tenant rental agreements and in manufactured home communities and mobile home parks.

HF 740 limits rent increases for current tenants in Iowa residential rentals and mobile home parks. Landlords cannot raise rents more than three times the Midwest consumer price index (CPI) increase over the past year or the assessed property value increase (whichever is higher), whichever is greater. Mobile home park tenants must receive written notice of any rent increase at least 90 days before it takes effect. The bill directly affects existing renters in these housing types by capping annual rent hikes based on economic or property value metrics.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingLimits rent increases for tenants, requiring 90-day notice and capping hikes at CPI/property value, strengthening tenant protections and affordability in rental housing.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Landlords Renters Tenant Rights

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in committee · Iowa · House Mar 5, 2025

HSB 286: A bill for an act relating to homelessness including unauthorized use of public land, sanctioned camping, drug-free homeless service zones, and funding for homeless services, and providing penalties.

This bill establishes rules for cities and counties to create designated "sanctioned camping" zones for people experiencing unsheltered homelessness. It requires these zones to provide assigned spaces, safety measures, sanitation (including water and showers), and access to health services, while banning alcohol and drugs. Local governments must follow specific standards when creating these zones, and residents or businesses can seek legal action if requirements aren't met. The bill also prohibits local policies that block enforcement of rules against unauthorized public sleeping/camping, requiring first-time violations to be addressed with a warning and service offer before potential misdemeanor penalties.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeCreates sanctioned camping zones with services to reduce criminalization of homelessness, aligning with reform goals by avoiding punitive measures for unsheltered living.85% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates health services access in sanctioned homeless zones, directly improving healthcare access for vulnerable populations per bill's requirements.95% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingEstablishes sanctioned camping zones with sanitation, health services, and safety measures to address homelessness, directly advancing housing solutions for vulnerable populations.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Homelessness

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in committee · Iowa · House Jan 21, 2026

HSB 141: A bill for an act relating to rental agreements and early termination rights of tenants who are victims of certain crimes.

HB 141 allows tenants who are victims of domestic abuse, sexual abuse, stalking, elder abuse, or other qualifying crimes to terminate rental agreements early without penalty. Tenants must provide written notice to landlords along with specific documentation, such as a protective order, police report, or medical documentation from a licensed provider verifying the victimization. The bill protects tenants from being charged fees, losing security deposits, or receiving negative credit references for using this right, and prohibits landlords from refusing to rent based on prior use of this provision. Tenants remain responsible for rent through the termination date (14-30 days after notice) but are released from liability for future rent or damages.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill explicitly protects crime victims' rights by enabling early lease termination without penalties, aligning with criminal justice reform goals of victim safety and civil rights protection.90% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingProtects tenant rights by allowing crime victims to terminate leases without fees/deposit loss, strengthening housing security for vulnerable populations.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Domestic Violence Policing Landlords Renters Tenant Rights

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Mar 3, 2025

SF 436: A bill for an act removing the maximum annual amount of real estate transfer tax receipts that may be transferred into the housing trust fund.

SF 436 removes a $7 million annual cap on real estate transfer tax receipts that can be directed to Iowa's Housing Trust Fund (HTF). Currently, only $7 million of the 30% of these taxes designated for the HTF can be transferred yearly, with excess funds going to the general fund. The bill changes this by allowing all 30% of the receipts (without the $7 million limit) to flow directly into the HTF each year. This directly affects the HTF's funding, which supports affordable housing development and preservation for low-income Iowans and the Iowa Mortgage Help Initiative.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesRemoves $7M annual cap on real estate transfer tax funds for Housing Trust Fund, directing all 30% receipts to HTF, increasing funding for affordable housing development.90% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingRemoves $7M annual cap on real estate transfer taxes for Housing Trust Fund, increasing direct funding for affordable housing development.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Affordable Housing Housing Finance Property Taxes

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in committee · Iowa · House Mar 12, 2025

HSB 271: A bill for an act establishing a partial exemption on property taxes for certain residential properties sold in disaster areas.

This bill creates a temporary partial property tax exemption for residential properties sold by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to eligible homeowners in areas affected by declared disasters. It directly affects HUD-sold homes purchased by residents receiving Iowa's homestead tax credit, located in areas where the president or governor declared a major disaster or emergency. The exemption provides a phased reduction in property taxes over four years: 80% in the first year, 60% in the second, 40% in the third, and 20% in the fourth, after which the full tax applies. This policy change applies only to properties sold specifically to provide housing following a disaster.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesProvides temporary property tax exemption for disaster-area homeowners with homestead credit, reducing tax burden for eligible residents. Directly advances tax relief policy.90% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingProvides temporary property tax exemption for HUD-sold homes in disaster areas, reducing homeownership costs for eligible residents. This directly advances affordable housing by lowering financial barriers for affected homeowners.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Property Tax Tax Incentives Property Development Property Taxes

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