Axios Des Moines

October 19, 2023
Welcome to Thursday.
🌤 Weather: Partly sunny with a high of 64°.
🗣️ Situational awareness: A DSM mayoral forum and Ward 2 City Council hosted by Northeast Neighbors starts at 6pm tonight at the Birdland Ding Darling Enclosed Shelter, 2100 Saylor Road.
Today's Smart Brevity™ count is 674 words — a 2.5-minute read.
1 big thing: Affordable forever homes
Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios
Des Moines is officially creating an "affordable forever" home network after almost a year of discussions.
Why it matters: The plan could alleviate a problematic cycle where subsidized homes lose affordability after ownership changes hands.
Details: The city government is facilitating the creation of a Community Land Trust (CLT), an idea sometimes referenced as "affordable forever homes."
How it works: Houses in the network would be sold to low-income families at a discount but the land they sit on would be owned by the trust.
- Homeowners could only resell their properties at a restricted price to other low-income buyers — typically receiving their initial investment back plus a percentage of the property's increased equity.
Driving the news: The city manager's office notified City Council members this week that applications for CLT Advisory Committee members are now being accepted.
- The committee will help develop the program, which could launch by late next year.
Zoom in: CLTs already exist in hundreds of U.S. communities, according to Grounded Solutions Network.
- A Mid-Iowa Organizing Strategy (AMOS) has advocated locally for CLTs and will have at least one member on the advisory committee.
Of note: The trust will use public and philanthropic donations to buy properties across the city.
- Budgets for property acquisitions in the program haven't yet been established, city manager Scott Sanders tells Axios.
2. Charted: Housing cost burdens

At least a quarter of the metro's oldest and youngest homeowners spend 30% or more of their income on housing, according to the latest U.S. Census data.
- Those figures are even greater for renters.
Why it matters: The 30% threshold is commonly used to determine housing cost burdens.
State of play: The share of metro families who spend too much on housing has grown in recent years, according to a June report by the Joint Center for Housing Studies (JCHS) of Harvard University.
- Housing shortages have contributed to higher costs of both buying and renting, Axios' Emily Peck reports.
Related story: Search DSM home prices by ZIP
3. 🏀 We're no. 3!


One year after advancing to the first Final Four in program history, the Iowa women's basketball team enters this season ranked No. 3 in the AP Top 25 preseason poll.
Driving the news: The Hawkeyes are behind No.1 LSU, who they lost to in the championship last year, and UConn, maybe the most successful college basketball program ever.
- The high ranking is yet another sign of confidence in Iowa's own Caitlin Clark, the generational superstar who is filling Kinnick Stadium and signing record endorsement deals.
Zoom in: The path back to the national championship game will not be easy. Iowa is one of five Big Ten teams in the Top 25 and also plays No. 8 Virginia Tech, Kansas State and Iowa State in non-conference play.
- LSU is stacked after returning Angel Reese while adding star transfers Hailey Van Lith and Aneesah Morrow.
- And Iowa is relying on unproven front court players to step up after both the team's starting forwards from last season graduated.
Yes, but: If there's anyone in college basketball who can make up a talent gap, it's Clark.
4. The Ear: Crop talent
Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios
🍗 The new Jethro's BBQ near Wells Fargo Arena has opened. The theme is "All Stars." (KCCI)
U.S. Rep. Marianette Miller-Meeks said she received death threats after withdrawing support for Rep. Jim Jordan for House speaker. (Axios)
⚾️ Michael Shur's "Field of Dreams" show was going to cast Andre Braugher, Kristen Bell, Nick Offerman and William Harper before it was eventually cancelled.
- The show was supposed to be filmed around Iowa and stream on Peacock. (X)
🗳 Johnston school officials inadvertently scheduled parent-teacher conferences on election day — a move that may make it hard for teachers to vote, parents say.
- District officials said they will make accommodations for staff voting time. (WOI-TV)
⭐️ Today's headline maker: Emily Kessinger of DSM.
On the job hunt?
💼 Check out who's hiring on our Job Board.
- Chief Communications Officer at City of Des Moines.
- Deputy Chief of Team for Operations, INL Justice Sector Assistance Project, West Bank at Tetra Tech.
- General Superintendent, Mission Critical - Traveling at JeDunn Construction.
Want more opportunities? Check out our Job Board.
Hiring? Use code FIRST50 for $50 off your first job post.
5. Where's Jason?
Photo: Jason Clayworth/Axios
😬 Hit reply and correctly guess the mouthy location where Jason is located and we'll add you to a drawing for a free Axios shirt!
- Check back tomorrow for the answer and a story about this spot.
😱 Linh is working on her tolerance for scary movies. Tonight is "Pet Sematary."
🔪 Jason gets his scare through crime documentaries and is on season four of "People Magazine Investigates."
Today's newsletter was edited by Everett Cook and copy edited by Lucia Maher.
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