The HSPA Housing Workgroup is in the process of developing a Polk County Affordable Housing

Business Plan. The results oriented plan will contain strategies to meet the needs of affordable housing

along the entire housing continuum. The plan will contain measurable implementation strategies to meet

the housing needs that were outlined in the HSPA Polk County Housing Business Case that was completed

in 2002.

The Housing Business Case documented the need for affordable housing services throughout the entire

housing continuum – from shelters to permanent supportive housing. It highlights the fact that because

every person’s housing needs are different, there needs to be a wide variety of housing products along the

housing continuum. If there is a shortage in any of the housing services along the housing continuum,

people will be left without safe, affordable housing.

The next logical step after the development of the housing business case is to produce a results oriented

housing business plan that contains measurable results and implementation strategies to meet the affordable

housing needs in Polk County.

The Housing Workgroup has selected two main indicators contained in the "Is it good for the kids" 2002

Community Growth Chart. The Growth Chart is an important piece of a community initiative to find out if

the community programs currently in place are having a positive effect on the overall health and well being

of kids in Polk County.

The two indicators the Housing Workgroup selected are: 1) Are all children living in a safe and stable

home? and 2) Housing affordability.

The Housing Workgroup’s Business Plan will address those two main issues with an action plan associated

with measurable results