Rob Sand Tours Affordable Housing Development, Highlights “Affordability for All” Plan

DES MOINES, IA – Yesterday, nominee for governor Rob Sand toured a recently renovated affordable housing development for seniors in Des Moines to highlight his “Affordability for All” plan, including his proposals to lower housing costs for Iowans. During the tour, Rob discussed his plan to make it easier and more affordable to build homes by cutting unnecessary bureaucratic red tape, simplifying the permitting and inspection process, and protecting renters from price gouging. He also proposed making down payment assistance for first-time homebuyers interest-free, helping more Iowans achieve the dream of homeownership.

As governor, Rob will work to make Iowa a place where people can afford to live, put down roots, and build a future. His “Affordability for All” plan also includes proposals to lower the cost of health care, education, and energy, helping make life more affordable for Iowans across the state.

Learn more about Rob’s plan to make housing more affordable for Iowans below:

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KCRG: Sand pitches interest-free down payments for new buyers, less construction red tape

Democratic candidate for governor Rob Sand toured a low-income housing complex Thursday as he highlighted his plan to make housing more affordable and accessible in Iowa.
Sand said he wants to help more Iowans become first-time homebuyers and reduce red tape that can slow housing construction.
Des Moines resident Carolyn Scott rents an apartment from Community Housing Initiatives, a nonprofit that provides affordable housing in Iowa. Scott said she is supporting Sand this November and told him seniors need more housing options.
As part of his housing affordability plan, Sand has proposed protections aimed at preventing renters from being overcharged, along with interest-free down payment and homebuyer assistance for first-time homebuyers.

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Iowa Capital Dispatch: Rob Sand says Iowa needs to ‘reduce red tape’ to meet housing needs

Rob Sand, current state auditor and Democratic candidate for governor, said simplifying inspections and cutting red tape that stands in the way of building new housing will help improve affordability.
Lowering housing costs is one of the points in Sand’s recently released “Affordability for All” plan that also looks at potential policies to reduce the cost of healthcare, education and energy in the state.
“We have people who want to be in Iowa, and they’re struggling to pay the bills, and one of the biggest issues that they’re oftentimes facing is housing,” Sand said.
“To me, the bottom line is that I think we need to have state government be refocused on the issues that are impacting 100% of Iowans: costs, corruption, cancer – and housing is a huge piece of the affordability question for most Iowans,” Sand said.
Sand’s policy proposal includes steps to “cut the bureaucratic red tape” that makes it more difficult, cost more and take longer to build more homes and other housing types like duplexes or accessory dwelling units.

Radio Iowa: Sand pledges to reduce red tape the stymies housing construction in Iowa

Democrat Rob Sand says if he’s elected governor, he’ll pursue initiatives to speed up the permit process for home builders and to help first-time homebuyers.
The Iowa Finance Authority awards $2500 grants to eligible first time homebuyers to cover downpayment and closing costs, but the money comes in the form of a second mortage — with interest. Sand said that assistance should be interest-free. “The problem is there’s a bunch of people who might be on the verge of buying and then as interest rates increase all of sudden they’re priced out of the market,” Sand said. “We could have a little bit more stability in that to prevent that with some assistance from the state to make sure that people can be here and build here.”
During a news conerence this morning, Sand told reporters he’d work with lawmakers to review the state building code to identify other stumbling blocks that are delaying and adding to the cost of building homes. A 2025 state law gives Iowans the right to build a second housing unit on the same property as their primary residence, but Sand says there’s more work to do because of local zoning ordinances. “If we want it to be available, then I think we need to say, ‘OK, this really has to be available,’” Sand said. “It can’t just be something where you say technically you can do it, but you’re throwing up enough red tape and enough restrictions that almost no one can actually do it.”

WHO Radio: Governor Candidate Sand: Make Life More Affordable For Iowans

The rising cost of living is something Iowans are talking about. That’s according to Rob Sand, the Democratic nominee for Iowa Governor. He says residents are consistently addressing the topic during his town hall events across the state.
The current Iowa State Auditor has released a plan designed to reduce costs for health care, energy, education and housing.
When it comes to housing, Sand says the state can speed up construction of new homes by cutting through the red tape of regulations.