Two affordable housing projects are being awarded $3.1 million from the federal American Rescue Plan Act allocated to Polk County, the Polk County Housing Trust Fund announced.
The nonprofit is reviewing applications for the money and is awarding the funds.

Project recipients of the funds are:

• Monarch Apartments at 4845 Merle Hay Road in Des Moines. The former hotel is being converted into a 40-unit, permanent supportive housing community by Anawim Housing. The project, which will receive $1.6 million in federal money, is billed as the first in Iowa to convert a hotel into permanent, supportive housing for people who are homeless. The Polk County Board of Supervisors also has allocated $1 million from the American Rescue Plan Act to the project. The project will include 24-hour onsite supportive services and staff.
• Hawthorne Pointe, a new apartment complex planned for Bondurant. Commonwealth Development Corp. of Middleton, Wisc., will receive $1.5 million to support the 40-unit project, which will include one-, two- and four-bedroom apartments and townhomes. Apartments will be available primarily to people who earn between 40% and 60% of the area’s median income. The project is expected to be completed in mid-2024.

Polk County announced in 2022 that it would earmark more than $15 million from the federal money for affordable housing. Specifically, the county designated $12 million for housing development; $3 million was used to create a housing revolving loan fund; and $150,000 was used for a homeless advocates pilot program.