Community leaders gathered July 13 to officially acknowledge the launch of the second Student-Built housing project led by the city of Kalona.  Although 12 students from Mid-Prairie, Highland, Washington, and Durant high schools began building the duplex at 313 & 315 C Avenue weeks ago, it took time to coordinate schedules for the groundbreaking event.

Those in attendance included Tim Ruth, National Chair for the National Association of Homebuilders; Karyl Bohnsack, Executive Officer of the Greater Iowa City Home Builders Association; Aaron McGlynn, Kirkwood instructor and State and National Director of the Greater Iowa City Area HBA; Rochelle Fuller, representative of Sen. Chuck Grassley; State Senator Dawn Driscoll; State Representative Heather Hora; Brian Stone, Superintendent of Mid-Prairie CSD; Ryan Schlabaugh, Kalona City Administrator; Mark Robe, mayor of Kalona; and Jenelle Bender, Kalona City Council member.

“It all kind of started in this room,” Schlabaugh said as the leaders gathered in the council chambers.  

In 2022, the city purchased a distressed property at 721 6th Street, which 10 area students rehabbed under professional guidance over the summer.  They gained skills in the building trades and earned an income; area businesses and organizations contributed materials and expertise; and when the work was complete, a young couple purchased an affordable home.  

This year, two distressed houses were purchased, razed, and a duplex is being built by students in their place.  City funds are invested in the project, along with outside funding, which includes a $50,000 grant from the Washington County Riverboat Foundation.  The buyers for each side will receive $25,000 in down payment assistance from the East Central Iowa Housing Trust Fund.  

Every party involved in the project comes out ahead, Schlabaugh points out, including the students, partners and sponsors, home buyers, city, and area businesses.

“We try to purchase as much as we can locally,” he said.  “It is a driver of our economy to be able to write some substantial checks to our local businesses to be able to do this, so we do appreciate their involvement.  And hopefully, by us doing this, it also helps them as a business to continue to be able to do good things.”

One of the unique aspects of this year’s Student-Built housing project is that would-be buyers are already being approved and introduced to the students building their homes.  This offers the students an additional way to understand the work they’re doing and appreciate its lasting value.

The project also has the power to lift up participating students socially and economically.  They gain hands-on experience in a trade, which they can leverage into a career that will provide stability and support for themselves and their families.

In the end, “It’s a win-win for everyone,” Schlabaugh said.