Audience Questions from the Muscatine Community Summit

Below are audience questions from the Muscatine Community Summit on December 4, 2024, hosted by Collaborate Muscatine. Responses were contributed by members of Collaborate Muscatine. A recording of the event is available here.

HOUSING

1. What are the types of housing planned for the target of 2,000 units? Specifically, apartments, single-family homes, affordable, accessible to people with disabilities, and accommodating to needs of older adults. How are the needs and wants of various populations being evaluated and included in the plans?

   • Within the target of 2,000 new units by 2033 for the City of Muscatine, the types of units constructed will be informed by the 2023 Housing Market Analysis and based on priorities set by the Muscatine County Housing Council and adopted by Collaborate Muscatine. The exact numbers of various types of units are not yet set, but we know there will be a focus on increasing homeownership, attracting young professionals and families, and having appropriate options available across the housing spectrum in our community, to meet the needs of all.

2. What is the biggest reason the 10,000 daily commuters don’t want to live here?

   • In 2025, Collaborate Muscatine plans to work with local employers’ HR departments to perform a comprehensive study on why employees choose to live here or elsewhere. Anecdotally, we know factors that influence a decision of where to live can include immediacy of need, availability of housing options, housing costs, perception of amenities and services, and recommendations from other community members, as well as employment of a spouse or partner.

3. How are you helping current renters get into homeownership?

   • The City of Muscatine currently offers a Homebuyer Education Class, first time homebuyer down payment assistance programs, and one-on-one housing counseling to assist residents who want to buy a home. The Homebuyer Education Class is open to all residents of Muscatine County. In addition, the Housing Market Analysis performed for the county in 2023 recommends several strategies for expanding homeownership that the City plans to explore. To learn more about the City’s homeownership supports or sign up for a Homebuyer Education Class, visit this site.

4. Are there plans to address the conditions of current low-income rental properties? How can the community support these efforts?

   • The condition of rental properties is dependent upon the landlord’s commitment to quality, as well as oversight of and reinvestment into the property. The City of Muscatine monitors the condition of all rental properties through the Rental Housing Registration program, which includes at least triennial inspections. The program requirements and inspection standards are specified in Title 16 of City Code. Units occupied by tenants with a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) are inspected at least biennially. Inspection standards are the same for assisted and unassisted properties, but owners of assisted properties must repair all deficiencies within defined periods of time to continue receiving rent. Tenants in any rental property may request a special inspection for suspected deficiencies at any time. In addition, securing local ownership of rental properties and forming a learning and communication forum for landlords is a priority. The community can support initiatives to maintain or improve housing conditions by interacting with owners and tenants in a respectful manner that helps them understand their responsibilities and holds them accountable.

5. Are there any strategies planned around improving finance management skills? Do people value spending on consumer goods over saving for housing, and what role does that play in our strategies?

   • Current local efforts include programs through the City of Muscatine, and the inclusion of personal finance skills in curriculums at Muscatine schools. The City of Muscatine currently offers certified housing counseling and a monthly Homebuyer Education Class, available to all residents of Muscatine County. Topics covered include budgeting and financial management, credit education, loans, and home pricing. A Housing Counselor is available to provide budgeting, financial management, and credit repair assistance in both individual and group settings. More information about the City’s Homebuyer Education Class can be found here. The Housing Market Analysis performed for the county in 2023 recommends strategies for expanding educational opportunities for future homeowners that the City plans to explore, which would include equipping prospective buyers. One of many factors in housing affordability for many local households is the rising cost of rent created by a supply-side failure of housing, which has created a housing cost burden for 43% of local renters, further pressuring opportunities to save for a downpayment. Iowa State University Extension and Outreach also has several financial resources available online here, or through contacting local Extension staff.

6. Do we have enough real estate available within Muscatine to construct the targeted 2,000 units?

   • Yes, there are many opportunities for both infill development on single lots and platted subdivisions within city limits, as well as opportunity for development on the outskirts of the city. According to potential land use projections, there is room for development of single-family and multi-family homes well over the targeted 2,000 units.

7. Do the housing studies look at population projections? With boomers aging, in 20 years will we still have a housing shortage? Gen X is much smaller.

   • The 2023 Housing Market Analysis included an analysis of the future housing market of Muscatine County, incorporating population projections. The report indicates that our community should expect an aging population, continuing the trend of the past twenty years. Between 2022 and 2040, age cohorts over 55 are projected to grow, and younger cohorts are expected to decrease. The report anticipates “a gradual continuation of declining younger populations and increasing aging populations.”  These projections are based on the current state of industry, business, and workforce. It is anticipated that growth in these areas would necessitate population expansion. In addition, average household size has been decreasing for several decades, meaning the community needs additional housing units even for the same population.

8. Does the plan for housing include legislative advocacy, specifically around regulatory barriers?

   • At a City level, staff reviews policies for opportunities to improve the provision and maintenance of housing. In addition, staff considers opportunities for process improvement based on feedback from contractors and residents. City staff also advocates for balanced policy at a state and federal level.

9. Much of the focus is concentrated on downtown living and businesses. What are we doing about growing the community outward for housing and business incentives?

   • There are currently several funding opportunities for downtowns through the State that Muscatine has taken advantage of. However, depending on where businesses are located there are different funding buckets. Strategically evaluating land for residential, commercial, or industrial use is a main focus for the future.

10. What’s the current vacancy rate for rentals?

    • 7.7% (ACS 5-year Estimates, 2022, via Muscatine Submarket Analysis, 2023). However, a number of these units have sat vacant for a number of years with no previous or active renovation activities. Interior conditions are unknown, and it is likely a number of them would be uninhabitable without substantial investment.

EDUCATION

1. How have we ensured that all of our high school students and their families are aware of the available scholarships?

   • For scholarships offered through the Community Foundation’s portal aimed at Muscatine and Louisa County high school and Muscatine Community College (MCC) students, scholarship information is largely communicated via school counselors, who have established relationships with the students. Community Foundation staff also provides supplemental communication and assistance, including giving scholarship presentations to seniors, working with external scholarship consultants, and communicating with the public via social media and press releases. In addition, all high school students in concurrent enrollment receive regular communication about scholarships and other opportunities from MCC/EICC.

2. Are there plans to extend the free SPARK program given its success and benefits for household financial relief and continued learning during the summer? What is the funding status of SPARK, and are there any concerns with it being able to continue?

   • SPARK (Summer Program for Arts, Recreation, & Knowledge) has been a very successful program. Long-term funding for the program is something we continue to prioritize. We believe we have the right model for our summer programming. We will continue to look for additional funding sources, and like other programs, right size it to fit with our given budget. Our goal is to sustain the SPARK program, either in its current form or with necessary adjustments, contingent upon securing additional funding. While the program initially benefited from ESSER funds, these are limited-term resources specifically allocated for post-pandemic recovery. We are actively pursuing alternative funding sources and anticipate a clearer picture by spring 2025.

3. Why is the SPARK program only able to support Muscatine Community School District students? If local businesses are contributing to this program, all students K-6 should be allowed; i.e. MCSD, Saints Mary & Mathias, homeschool students, etc.

   • The SPARK program is designed and funded by dollars dedicated for public school students. With creation of Educational Savings Accounts, private schools have separate funding available to develop summer programming. Local businesses have generously provided in-kind contributions, such as volunteer time and resources, but have not made direct monetary donations to the SPARK program.

4. Discipline has been identified as an area needing improvement. What changes have been implemented to better support teachers, students who are exposed to these behaviors, and students who are having extreme behaviors?

   • The district has been working with staff and administration to create a behavior matrix that provides consistent guidance on consequences, communication, and clarity for staff, students, and parents. The district is also providing resources and professional development focused on proactive steps to provide consistent language and expectations for behavior in classrooms and throughout our schools. Each building has staff or “coaches” dedicated to support teachers, paras, etc in building positive relationships with students and ensuring a safe and effective learning environment in all classrooms.

5. Another dire need in this community is reliable and affordable child/daycare so young parents can be reliable employees. How has this factored into the discussions for our community?

   • Access to affordable, high-quality childcare is a critical factor for our community's success. Recognizing this, a small group from Muscatine recently participated in the Iowa Women's Foundation Childcare Solutions Summit in Des Moines. This event provided insights into successful childcare pilot programs implemented in other parts of the state (link to impact report), along with strategies for advocating for improved childcare access and developing a community-wide plan to address local shortages. To build upon this momentum, a larger action team is being formed to comprehensively assess the current state of childcare within Muscatine County. This team will work towards identifying and implementing effective strategies to enhance access for families. If you are interested in collaborating on solutions to address the childcare challenges in Muscatine County, we encourage you to join the action team. Please contact Kim Warren at kim@unitedwaymuscatine.org for more information.

COMMUNICATION & ENGAGEMENT

1. What are the community/employers doing to engage and orient new members to live and stay in Muscatine?

   • The Greater Muscatine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GMCCI) currently offers a Live Muscatine welcome orientation to connect new and prospective residents with information and opportunities in the community. Leadership Muscatine is another program that engages professionals looking to grow and deepen their connection to Muscatine, also facilitated by GMCCI. In addition, working with local employers to personalize recruitment and onboarding has been identified as part of the 2025 housing and education goals.

2. What can we do as a community to ensure we create an inclusive place to live and work?

   • In order to have a thriving, growing community, residents need to feel like they belong and can contribute. An essential part of this process is the welcome orientation mentioned in the previous question, as well as other methods for new residents to learn about the community, meet people who will become a support system, and get involved in things they care about. Also vital to our community’s sense of welcoming and inclusion is cultural events, accessible communication, and opportunities for engagement.

3. What have we learned about the roots of housing and education so we can address the heart of these issues in a sustainable manner? What got us to this point, despite the increasing needs for both housing and education over the past several decades?

   • We have learned that housing and education are highly intersectional, impacting nearly every facet of a person’s life. We know that in Muscatine County, 38% of renters and 17% of homeowners are housing cost burdened, meaning they spend over 30% of their monthly income on housing costs. When households have high housing costs, they must pull from other areas such as healthy food, transportation, and health care. Unstable housing has cascading impacts on educational attainment. According to a 2012 Minnesota study, the graduation rates of housing insecure students were about 50% lower than housing secure students, and about 20% lower than housing secure students on free or reduced lunch. Many factors contributing to the current situation stem from a sharp decrease in new home construction after the 2008 housing market collapse. At the same time, average household size has continued to decrease, meaning additional units are required to house the same number of people. Together, this has led to a nation-wide supply-side failure and subsequent increase in housing costs. This is compounded by increases in construction costs that outpace income increases. On the education side, many school districts are facing decreasing enrollments due to declining birth rates, which in turn results in less funding from the state and federal governments. Reductions in funding affect staffing in many ways. Muscatine is facing many of the same problems that communities around the nation are experiencing. We are determined to work across sectors to find solutions to these challenges, to create successful outcomes for the community.

HEALTH

1. In light of recent investments, have we seen a positive impact on the number of providers available in Muscatine? On UnityPoint’s success in recruiting providers?

   • We have seen a positive impact on the number of providers available in Muscatine. Four providers have joined UnityPoint Clinic - Mulberry since construction began on the new clinic building, and the clinic was built with room to further grow the number of providers. The new Mulberry Clinic ensures the continued presence of quality local health care, as well as improves our ability to recruit and retain health care professionals. In addition, the Trinity Muscatine Foundation has funded Loan Forgiveness Retention Bonuses to recruit three primary care physicians to Muscatine.

2. What aspects of environmental initiatives have been considered? For example, natural areas, clean air, clean water, renewable energy, reduced landfilling, increased recycling, CO2 emissions mitigation, zero energy buildings.

   • Through MPW’s renewable energy expansions and their Powering The Future initiative, they have established a goal of reducing carbon emissions from electricity production by at least 65%. These efforts will help improve the sustainability of all new and existing homes and businesses in Muscatine. The Community Foundation has also engaged in alternative housing construction activities that reduce time, cost, and material waste associated with housing construction. Development models also consider the use of passive home design and other methods of reducing energy usage.

AMENITIES & COMMERCIAL

1. Are there any plans for or focus on the old Muscatine Mall for shopping or other commercial uses?

   • Plans for the Muscatine Mall are in the works. Residents may contact Mayor Brad Bark at bbark@muscatineiowa.gov if they have specific ideas or questions for businesses to bring in.

2. Are there thoughts about bringing additional chain restaurants to Muscatine, in addition to the many “private owner” restaurants? We know fast food works in Muscatine whereas we’ve seen many “private owner” places not stick.

   • There are population requirements for some chain restaurants. Fast food often works here because they are a franchise and can take a decreased revenue as they are part of a financial umbrella. We are anticipating several new private ownership restaurants coming into Muscatine, further adding to our thriving local business culture.