Des Moines Municipal Housing Agency
The Des Moines Municipal Housing Agency (DMMHA) owns and manages Public Housing units for eligible low- and moderate-income families and individuals. All of these rental units are located within the city limits of Des Moines.
Public Housing General Information
The Public Housing program consists of rental units, within the City of Des Moines, owned and managed by the Department of Housing Services. Upon acceptance of a unit, participants enter into a lease agreement with the Department of Housing Services and pay approximately 30% of their monthly adjusted income for rent. A full-time Service Coordinator is available at our five manors to ensure that residents have access to support services necessary for them to live independently. The five manors consist of 390 units. The manors are Royal View Manor (singles, elderly, disabled), East View Manor (elderly only), Southview Manor (elderly only), Highland Park Plaza (elderly only), and Oak Park Plaza (elderly only).
The DMMHA also has a limited number of scattered site units that can accommodate larger households (2 persons or more).
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Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program
The Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program provides rental assistance to low-income families and elderly or disabled individuals who rent from a private landlord. Eligibility for the Section 8 program is determined by family composition and income guidelines established by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which provides the program funding. Approximately 3,200 households are served through Section 8 programs. The DMMHA administers the Section 8 program throughout Polk County. Participants in the Section 8 program pay 30-40% of the household's monthly adjusted gross income toward their housing expenses.
Eligible applicants for Section 8 program are given a Housing Choice Voucher and 60 days to find an approved rental unit. The Section 8 program provides rental assistance to participants who want to rent from a private landlord. Participants may choose the type of housing they wish to rent. Prior to being placed under the program and at least annually thereafter each unit must pass a Housing Quality Standards (HQS) inspection to ensure that the unit is a safe and decent place to live.
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Project Based Vouchers
The Project Based Voucher Program (PBV) is rental assistance for eligible families and individuals who live in specific housing developments or units within Polk County. Under the PBV program, DMMHA enters into a housing assistance payment contract with the owner for specified rental units for a specified term.
The Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) program assists families leasing DMMHA housing units or families participating in Section 8 rental assistance program to work towards a goal of becoming financially self-sufficient.
The FSS program is designed to assist the participants in all aspects in becoming more self-sufficient such as employment/education, childcare, transportation, social services and healthcare. Successful graduation from the FSS program can also result in a financial benefit called an “Escrow Check."