Housing

HF 2618 repeals Iowa's "smart planning principles" (sections 18B.1 and 18B.2), which required local governments and state agencies to consider 10 specific guidelines in planning, zoning, and development decisions. The bill removes these requirements from state code, eliminating the obligation for cities, counties, and state agencies to reference or apply these principles when creating comprehensive plans, zoning regulations, or infrastructure projects. It also deletes related references from other sections of Iowa law governing regional planning (28I.4), airport zoning (329.3), and local development regulations (335.5, 414.3). This change directly affects how local governments approach land use and development planning across Iowa.

HF 2698 regulates business entities that own residential properties (like apartment complexes or multi-unit homes) by requiring clear disclosure that buyers are purchasing an ownership interest in the business, not the property itself. It prohibits businesses from charging transfer fees for ownership interests, restricting sales based on discrimination, or forcing disputes to non-court forums. The law also bans businesses from taking actions that would violate Iowa’s civil rights laws (Chapter 216) if the interest were real estate, such as denying sales to qualified buyers. Violations are enforced under Iowa’s consumer fraud laws, allowing courts to issue injunctions or impose penalties. This directly affects residential property owners operating as businesses and their residents.

This bill mandates that counties and cities in Iowa must allow at least one accessory dwelling unit (ADU) on lots with single-family residences. It directly affects property owners by standardizing and simplifying the process of building ADUs, and local governments by limiting their regulatory authority. The legislation sets statewide parameters, such as allowing ADUs up to 1,000 square feet or 50% of the main house, whichever is larger. It prohibits local ordinances from imposing overly restrictive rules on aspects like design, parking, owner-occupancy, or separate utility connections. Furthermore, it requires local governments to approve compliant ADU permits without discretionary review, following the same timeline as single-family home permits.