Manager says low-income housing program threatened by legislature

Managers of the state program which aids first-time, low-income home buyers say they’ll have to shut it down if republicans press forward with a their plan to provide more heating assistance to low-income Iowans. Loyd Ogle of the Iowa Finance Authority says the G-O-P’s move will shut off money up to 12-hundred Iowa banks might use to help low-income Iowans get better housing.Ogle says the Iowa Finance Authority will have to quit making housing assistance grants for new construction and they’ll have to shut down the program which provides down payment and closing cost help for low-income Iowans.Democrat Governor Tom Vilsack has suggested continuing a surcharge on Iowans’ natural gas bills to come up with 20-MILLION dollars for the low income heating assistance program.