Polk County could build affordable housing at churches and strip malls
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A new report from the Polk County Housing Trust Fund identifies hundreds of underused properties across the metro, from church parking lots to vacant office parks, as potential sites for affordable "missing middle" housing.
Why it matters: The Des Moines metro is one of the fastest growing in the Midwest, but our housing construction is stuck at two extremes: single-family homes and large apartment complexes.
- The result is a shortage of smaller attainable purchasing options for families.
How it works: Researchers reviewed thousands of property records across Polk County, yielding around 740 viable parcels that could realistically support new housing.
- Those parcels are separated into 10 categories of underused land, with faith-based properties being the highest share (371 parcels countywide), per the report.
Zoom in: As congregations see attendance decline and church properties are left with large lawns and oversized parking lots, Polk County Housing Trust Fund spokesperson Matt Hauge says there's an opportunity to convert those spaces into housing, including cottage courts and duplexes.
- A national movement called "Yes, in God's Backyard" aims to change zoning laws that allow churches to build affordable housing on their lots.
- He points to "Starts Right Here Stay," Will Keeps' latest project, as an example of converting a church into housing. Keeps' nonprofit helps struggling teens and young adults.
Zoom out: Other potential housing sites include smaller strip mall buildings, excess parking lots at shopping centers, publicly owned land and vacant office parks.
By the numbers: People who need these options are earning at or below 80% of the area median family income.
- In Polk County, that threshold is $64,160 for a single person and $91,600 for a family of four, according to 2025 HUD data. A two-person household qualifies at $73,280.
- The suggested housing types include a roughly 875-square-foot cottage court unit costing $154,000 to build and roughly 830-square-foot triplex units costing $115,600.
Yes, but: Regulatory barriers can make missing middle housing harder to construct, Hauge says.
- Current zoning codes in many Polk County communities limit denser housing types, including prohibiting units smaller than 1,200 square feet and requiring off-street parking minimums.
Between the lines: To keep housing costs within reach, the proposed homes do not include basements or garages, Hauge says.
What's next: This fall, the Polk County Housing Trust Fund plans to hold a listening session for faith-based organizations to teach them what it would take to develop housing on their land.