Iowa City to use GIS in affordable housing debate

City officials will develop a system that lets them sift through reams of information to help with making affordable housing decisions.

The City Council at a work session Monday night gave staff the OK to use a geographic information system, or GIS, in the effort. It will display demographic data for a particular location that is suggested for an affordable housing project and the surrounding area.

Among the data that will be used is: standardized test scores for elementary school students, how often students switch schools and the percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch.

The council is trying to come up with a general policy on where affordable housing should be located in the city. The concern is that clustering such housing hurts those neighborhoods and nearby schools.

Specifically, city staff has asked for guidance on where housing that is funded by federal Community Development Block Grant and HOME money should be placed. The city gets about $2 million annually in block grant and HOME funds that go toward affordable housing and human service agencies. Section 8 funds are not included in those two programs and the city has no control over where Section 8 tenants choose to live.

The city hopes to come to a resolution on the matter in the next few weeks.