358C.1 Legislative findings — purpose — definitions.

1. The general assembly finds and declares as follows:

a. The economic health and development of Iowa communities is tied to opportunities for jobs in and near those communities and the availability of jobs is in part tied to the availability of affordable, decent housing in those communities.

b. A need exists for a program to assist developers and communities in increasing the availability of housing in Iowa communities.

c. A shortage of opportunities and means for developing local housing exists. It is in the best interest of the state and its citizens for infrastructure development which will lower the costs of developing housing.

d. The expansion of local housing is dependent upon the cost of providing the basic infrastructure necessary for a housing development. Providing this infrastructure is a public purpose for which the state may encourage the formation of real estate improvement districts for the purpose of providing water, sewer, roads, and other infrastructure.

2. As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise requires:

a. “Board” means the board of trustees of a real estate improvement district.

b. “Book”, “list”, “record”, or “schedule” kept by a county auditor, assessor, treasurer, recorder, sheriff, or other county officer means the county system as defined in section 445.1.

c. “Construction” includes materials, labor, acts, operations, and services necessary to complete a public improvement.

d. “Cost” of a public improvement includes the cost of engineering, preliminary reports, property valuations, estimates, plans, specifications, notices, legal services, acquisition of land, consequential damages, easements, rights-of-way, construction, repair, supervision, inspection, testing, notices and publication, interest during construction and for not more than twelve months thereafter, and printing and sale of bonds.

e. “District” means a real estate improvement district as created in this chapter.

f. “Public improvement” includes the principal structures, works, component parts, and accessories of the facilities or systems specified in section 358C.4.

g. “Repair” includes materials, labor, acts, operations, and services necessary for the reconstruction, reconstruction by widening, or resurfacing of a public improvement.

95 Acts, ch 200, §1; 96 Acts, ch 1204, §1; 2000 Acts, ch 1087, §1; 2000 Acts, ch 1148, §1; 2002 Acts, ch 1119, §200, 201

Referred to in §358C.16, 358C.17