MUSCATINE, Iowa — Out of 947 Iowa communities, it's hard to imagine a top list of cities that capture the essence of a thriving environment.
Yet the Iowa Finance Authority (IFA) and the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) have declared a top 11 list of the top thriving communities for 2024.
To better understand what qualities the IFA and IEDA looked for when deciding which communities set themselves up for success, here's a short list of what they considered.
- Financial Support
- Iowa Thriving Community Attributes
- Planning and Assessment
- Proposed Neighborhood or Site for Housing Development
- Strategic Leadership and Partnerships
- Workforce Attraction and Retention
All communities that entered were looking forward to the possibility of Federal Housing Tax Credits or Workforce Housing Tax Credits which come from the title. The tax credits are meant to foster community growth and development.
"Receiving this designation will provide the opportunity for local development partners to be extremely competitive for this financial incentive when they choose Muscatine over other Iowa communities for their next housing project,” said Jodi Royal-Goodwin, Muscatine's community development director.
By being selected, all 11 cities are setting a precedent for others throughout Iowa, and for nearby communities, when it comes to innovative housing development.
“This participation is a vivid demonstration of the intersectional importance of advancing housing across our community, and the cross-sector work that is underway,” Royal-Goodwin said.
Below is the complete list of Iowa communities named by the IFA and IEDA as Thriving Communities for 2024.
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