Housing/Codes Library 16–17

The Housing Choice Voucher Program is accepting applications from income-qualifying households for the waiting list. You may qualify if your household income falls at or below the federal income guidelines for your household size, which are listed on the application link below. Please apply online at www.waitlistcheck.com/IA1330, or pick up an application just inside the front door of the front lobby at City Hall (220 Clay Street) to be filled out at home and returned by mail. You may also request an application be mailed or emailed by calling the city’s housing office at 319-273-8669.

The City of Cedar Falls administers the Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCV), a federal program commonly known as Section 8. This program provides rental assistance to income qualifying households in our community. Through this program the housing voucher tenant pays no more than 30% of their monthly adjusted gross income for rent and utilities. The city pays the remainder of the monthly rent to the property owner using the funds received from the federal government. When people apply to the program they are placed on a waiting list. The city notifies applicants when they reach the top of the waiting list. Once updated documentation to verify eligibility is provided, they are issued a voucher and have 120 days to find a housing unit meeting their needs. All rental property owners are encouraged to accept Housing Choice Vouchers. If you are a property owners who is unfamiliar with the program, please know it’s easy to sign up and the city’s housing staff is available to answer questions. Below are some facts for those considering renting to a household receiving a Housing Choice Voucher: • The city sends its portion of the rent directly to the owner on the 1st of every month. • All household members are screened for criminal background to help ensure they qualify for the program. • Inspections are conducted prior to move in, and then completed every other year. Inspection guidelines follow basic Housing

Quality Standards, similar to what all rental properties in the city must follow.

• Every year the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban

Development (HUD) determines the “fair market rents” for the

Cedar Falls/Waterloo Metro Area. Fair market rents are adjusted annually, and represent the cost to rent moderately-priced dwelling units of various sizes in the local housing market. The payment standards for the program are based on these fair market rents.

Payment standards reflect the maximum monthly subsidy for rent and utilities combined.

Owners interested in participating in the Housing Choice Voucher Program may contact the city’s housing office at 319-273-8669 or Adrianne.andrews@cedarfalls.com. Building codes have been around since ancient Rome. The earliest codes were written and defined by tragedies, such as the burning of Rome and the Chicago fires, to ensure they don’t repeat themselves. Over time codes are altered and updated to ensure buildings are safe. Code councils have also been created over the years to evaluate and create codes to ensure buildings across the world are built in a manner that is safe for occupancy. These councils update their codes on a regular schedule to account for new construction methods and to respond to current tragedies. For example, in the wake of 9/11, the codes for high-rise buildings were revised in response to egress and structural concerns. The International Code Council develops these codes. The City of Cedar Falls has adopted the International Code Council’s family of codes to be sure all buildings are safe. We rely on the knowledge of their council of professionals to create codes with our citizen’s best interest in mind. City ordinances are updated every six years to adopt the most current version of the codes. Updating this frequently helps maintain the Cedar Falls BCEGS rating (Building Code Effectiveness Grading Schedule) used by insurance companies for the community’s insurance rating. The City Council will be considering adoption of the 2021 family of codes which includes: • 2021 International Building Code • 2021 International Residential Code • 2021 International Mechanical Code • 2021 International Fire Code • 2020 National Electrical Code • 2021 Uniform Plumbing Code • 2021 National Fuel Gas Code

Each new version of the code has changes, but this year’s changes are much less significant than in years past. If you are interested in learning more about these updates, watch the recording of city staff’s informational presentation at the September 7, 2021, City Council Committee of the Whole meeting at www.cedarfalls.com/ccvideo. Once the codes have been adopted, copies will be available for review at City Hall and the Public Library.

Expired Permits

Building permits are a very important part of any home improvement project, however, the most important part is inspections. Inspectors help prevent problems within a home by looking for code violations. Before work begins, building permits are designed to allow the city to review the plans for compliance with building codes and ordinances. Then, once the project starts, the permit allows inspectors to verify the work is done correctly. While homeowners and contractors do not intentionally build non-compliant spaces, it does happen. Sometimes the homeowner isn’t well-versed in the code, other times it’s simply an oversight. How many times have you written and reviewed an email, sent it, and then noticed an error? The same thing happens with construction. Inspectors are an extra set of eyes to “proofread” for compliance. Lately, some permits have not had an inspection at the completion of the project—these are now expired permits. Inspections are important for the safety of everyone! The city is working with contractors to address these. You may receive a call to schedule an inspection for something completed more than a year ago. This is to ensure the work completed is safe and compliant. We are also working with homeowners on expired permits. If you apply for a new permit, you may be asked to allow for additional inspections; if there are any expired permits, we want to get the inspections completed and the permits closed. If you feel you may have open permits, feel free to call 319-268-5161 and ask for a review of your address and open permits.