Advocacy
2026 State Advocacy Priorities
State Advocacy Priorities
1.
Help Iowans Preserve their Financial Legacy - Transfer on Death Deeds
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Homeownership is the #1 way Americans build wealth for their families. Iowa lags behind other
states in adopting the Real Property Transfer on Death Act. -
Iowans are subject to unnecessary time and expense of probate, wills, or trusts to transfer their
home to family. -
Transfer on Death Deeds help average Iowans have a clear and private plan to choose freely
whom to leave their home.
2.
Increase Supply and Preservation of Decent Housing
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Continued funding and support of the Housing Renewal Program - The Program helps
communities acquire and rehabilitate problem properties. Properties received a minimum of
$25,000 worth of health and safety improvements and are sold to income eligible buyers (up to
120% AMI). -
Remove the Cap on State Housing Trust Fund to provide additional funding for new
construction, adaptive reuse and/or rehabilitation projects. -
Workforce Housing Tax Credits – Habitat for Humanity supports an expansion of the Workforce
Housing Tax Credit program to accelerate building housing units.
3.
Help Make Housing Affordable for All Iowans
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Property Tax and Insurance - Monitor proposed property tax changes and the insurance
environment to identify possible relief measures for Iowans. -
Down Payment Assistance Programs - Down payment assistance promotes affordable
homeownership opportunities by helping Iowans access safe and affordable homes and build
long-term saving habits.
Habitat International's
National priorities for housing investment
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Support policies and programs that increase the supply of affordable homes, spark the revitalization of left-behind neighborhoods and help low-income families and communities of color rebuild and prosper.
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Prioritize policies that ensure that access to safe, healthy and affordable housing is equitable by rectifying legacies of systemic housing discrimination, closing racial gaps in homeownership and ensuring communities of opportunity for all.
Habitat is committed to continuing its housing advocacy through working with elected officials at all levels of government to find and implement policy solutions that will enable access to affordable homes for 10 million people in the U.S. over the course of the five-year Cost of Home campaign.
Habitat Voices in Action
Let’s make housing in the U.S. more affordable and accessible for all. Join us through Habitat Voices in Action as we work together for affordable homeownership.
Owning a home is the key to building stability and wealth. Yet, with skyrocketing home prices, millions of Americans are locked out of the dream of homeownership.
With hundreds of policy successes, we know how to impact affordable housing at the local, state and federal levels. Habitat uses our expert resources, research and proven practices to call on policymakers and advocate for home affordability.
But we can’t do it without you. Join Habitat for Humanity to help ensure everyone has a chance to own a safe, affordable home. Every voice matters – especially yours.
Advocating for affordable homeownership
We advocate to:
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Increase the supply of homes for low- and moderate-income homebuyers.
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Expand access to homeownership for people of all backgrounds.
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Keep homes affordable and livable long term, ensuring homeowner resilience.
Habitat also supports policies that improve a variety of housing issues in the U.S. and around the world, as well as those that empower nonprofits like Habitat to pursue their mission.
Read our national policy platform (PDF) to learn more about our advocacy strategies and priorities.