ROOTs Program Application Opening Date Announced

The City of Cedar Rapids announced the opening of applications for the next iteration of the ROOTs program at a media event on Thursday, February 15. ROOTs, which stands for Rebuilding Ownership Opportunities Together, aims to assist with long-term recovery from the 2020 Derecho by providing resilient and affordable single-family housing to low-to-moderate-income households.

Administered through a partnership between the City of Cedar Rapids and the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA), with funding provided under the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development’s (HUD) Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery (CDBG–DR) Program, ROOTs was allocated approximately $15 million for the development of 76 housing units. Construction is scheduled to commence on most of the homes this spring.

Program Details

Apply Online

Key program criteria include:

• All housing units must be sold to low-to-moderate-income households which make 80% of the area median income or less.
• Households must have the ability to secure their own mortgage.
• Maximum sales price is $175,000 per unit.
• Downpayment assistance up to $35,000 is available to eligible buyers.
• Households impacted by the 2020 Derecho will receive the first opportunity to purchase a home within the first four months of advertising. (Examples can be found on the program website.)
• All units will incorporate green building practices.
• The affordability period will be for 15 years, enforced by a forgivable lien on the property.

Download application checklist (pdf)

“The ROOTs program represents the City’s continued commitment to addressing affordable housing needs,” said City Manager Jeff Pomeranz. “This program will be transformative, and we think the families will be thrilled with the quality of homes provided.”

“Affordable housing remains a key focus area for our City Council and in our City planning efforts,” said Mayor Tiffany O’Donnell. “We encourage all eligible individuals to take advantage of this opportunity to secure stable housing for themselves and their families.”

Prospective applicants are encouraged to visit CityofCR.com/Roots for more information and to access the application form and eligibility criteria. Applications will be accepted starting Thursday, February 15, 2024.