-- On Tuesday, April 5, Representative Brooke Boden (R-Indianola) led legislation through the Iowa House to aid rehabilitation efforts in communities across Iowa, including Knoxville. 

Amendment H-8321 to House File 2579, the Rebuild Iowa Infrastructure Fund Budget, expands eligibility for the vacant building rehabilitation fund and vacant building demolition fund to also include property owned by a county that was purchased from the federal government. This will allow buildings abandoned by the federal government like the old Veterans Administration Hospital in Knoxville to qualify for grant money from the state. 

"Right now in Knoxville and other communities in Iowa, there are buildings abandoned by the federal government and it's fallen on the communities to rehabilitate them," Boden explained. "We already have grant money to help communities with the cost of rehabilitating buildings abandoned by the state, and with my amendment, we expand the eligibility to include buildings abandoned by the federal government. This will help with projects like in Knoxville that will be key to growing the community's economy."

The amendment passed the Iowa House by a voice vote.