Bee Branch Healthy Homes Resiliency Program

Many residents in the Bee Branch Watershed have experienced repeated flash flooding from stormwater during heavy rain events, including six Presidential Disaster Declarations since 1999. As a result, they are living with residual structural issues, electrical hazards, and chronic mold and mildew problems.

The Bee Branch Healthy Homes Resiliency Program includes $8.4 million in the form of forgivable loans to improve 320 housing units, including owner-occupied homes, single-unit rentals, and small, multi-family residential units. Funds will be awarded to properties where low- to moderate-income residents reside and used to make repairs and implement onsite stormwater management principles to decrease environmental health and safety issues from flooding.

Making Homes More Resilient

A variety of repairs and renovations will improve housing conditions and make homes more resilient to future flooding. Examples include:

• Foundation repairs and modifications
• Furnace replacement
• Water heater replacement
• Basement window repairs
• Mold and mildew remediation
• Lead paint and asbestos remediation
• Sidewalk improvements
• Sump pumps repair/installations
• Property drainage improvements

Click here to see photos of eligible repairs.

How To Apply

Step 1: Is Your Property in the Eligibility Area?

The first requirement of the Bee Branch Healthy Homes Resiliency Program is that your home or rental property must be located in the Bee Branch Watershed Healthy Homes eligibility area.

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Click here to view the eligibility map and search by address.

Step 2: Owner-Occupied or Rental Property?

This program is available to owner-occupied homes, single-unit rentals, and small, multi-family residential units that are located in the eligibility area and meet the income requirements established by HUD guidelines. Select your property type below for more details.

Owner-Occupied Single Family

Single-Unit and Multi-Unit Rental

Funding

In January 2016, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) awarded the City of Dubuque $31.5 million in disaster resiliency funds for the Bee Branch Healthy Homes Resiliency Program and stormwater infrastructure improvements including the Bee Branch Creek Railroad Culverts and West Locust Street and Kaufmann Avenue storm sewer projects. The City of Dubuque partnered with the State of Iowa to apply for the federal funds through the National Disaster Resilience Competition (NDRC), which invited communities that experienced natural disasters in 2011, 2012, or 2013 to compete for funds to help them rebuild and increase their resilience to future disasters.

Iowa Watershed Approach (IWA)

Through the Iowa Watershed Approach (IWA), Iowans will work together to address factors that contribute to floods and nutrient flows. This adaptive model, supported by HUD dollars through the NDRC, will leverage the principles of Iowa's innovative Nutrient Reduction Strategy to make our communities more resilient to flooding and help improve water quality. The Bee Branch Watershed is one of nine distinct watersheds across Iowa serving as project sites for the IWA. Click here to learn more.