Housing and Land Use Conducts Habitat for Humanity Study

The Housing and Land Use Policy program at the PPC is conducting a study to measure the overall economic impact of the 35 Habitat for Humanity chapters in Iowa. The study will quantify the overall economic impact of all activities of these chapters in the calendar year 2011. As is well-known, Habitat helps low-income families become homeowners. Less known is the fact that Habitat employs local workers such as electricians, plumbers and carpenters. Moreover, dwellings are constructed from all-new materials purchased at local hardware outlets, thus fostering jobs at these locations.

In addition, Habitat's ReStores—there are nine in Iowa—save tons of materials and furnishings from going into landfills each years. Each store also creates seven or eight jobs.

This study will provide a clear idea about the broad economic impacts of Habitat: the number of full-time jobs created and supported, increases in property and sales tax revenues from these activities. The model will even include the effect of the disposable income workers for Habitat put back into the local economy.

The study began in mid-October and will be completed by the end of December 2012.