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La Porte City, Iowa
Housing Needs Assessment 2018
LA PORTE CITY
live • play • connect
Prepared by Iowa Northland Regional Council of Governments
Adopted by Resolution #18-36 on June 11th, 2018
0
Table of Contents
Executive Summary....................................................................................................................................... 2
Introduction and Purpose ............................................................................................................................. 4
History and Background ................................................................................................................................ 4
Quality of Life and Community Character .................................................................................................... 4
Natural Resources and Environmental Hazards ........................................................................................... 5
Public Infrastructure and Utilities ................................................................................................................. 7
Community Services...................................................................................................................................... 8
Demographic Overview ................................................................................................................................ 9
Economic Overview .................................................................................................................................... 13
Housing in La Porte City .............................................................................................................................. 15
American Community Survey Estimates ................................................................................................. 15
Local Data................................................................................................................................................ 20
Home Sale Market .............................................................................................................................. 20
Rental Market ..................................................................................................................................... 22
Housing Conditions ................................................................................................................................. 24
Affordability of Homes for Sale................................................................................................................... 26
Future Housing Supply and Demand .......................................................................................................... 26
Business and Job Growth in La Porte City ................................................................................................... 30
Housing Goals and Objectives..................................................................................................................... 30
Summary and Conclusions .......................................................................................................................... 36
1Executive Summary
This Housing Needs Assessment provides an overview of La Porte City’s housing stock, placed in the
context of the City’s history, community services and amenities, demographics, and economic
characteristics. La Porte City’s existing and projected housing supply are presented, as are its current and
projected housing needs. Also, recommendations are offered regarding the amount and variety of
housing units in the City. The Housing Needs Assessment includes the following findings:
• Since its official incorporation in 1871, La Porte City’s population has been steadily increasing,
with only a few decades experiencing a decline.
• La Porte City is located within the Wolf Creek drainage basin. In the undeveloped areas of La Porte
City, trees, shrubs, weeds, and grass are prevalent, while in other areas that are undeveloped
there are row crops that are planted in the spring and harvested in the fall.
• The median age of La Porte City’s residents increased between 2000 and 2010, rising from 37.3
years of age to 39.6 according to the Census data. Notably, the population between the ages of
20 and 39 years of age dropped by 62 persons. With the number of residents in child-bearing age
cohorts continuing to decrease, school population has also decreased.
• Housing opportunities in La Porte City are limited for renters and low- and moderate-income
households in La Porte City, including many people who work in La Porte City but live elsewhere.
The rental vacancy rate was estimated to be just over 2 percent by the 2015 American Community
Survey, and the average annual laborshed income of $41,808 is slightly below the level needed to
buy a home at the median sale price of $144,698. Homes in the City spend less time on the market
than other communities in Black Hawk County. “Starter homes” tend to spend even less time on
the market than higher-priced homes.
• Compared to similar rural communities in the county, La Porte City has a relatively tight
homebuyer market. Home prices are lower than the county’s average, while volume of sales are
average and the time that homes spend on the market are relatively low.
• Based on current building and demolition rates, along with other factors, La Porte City is expected
to add 64 new housing units by 2030. By contrast, the City is expected to have a demand for 77
to 113 new units by 2030, resulting in a deficit of between 13 and 30 housing units. La Porte City
currently issues an average of 4.25 building permits annually but may need to issue a total of 5 to
8 building permits annually by 2030 to meet future housing demand.
• No business developments are predicted in La Porte City in the near future, but some small
businesses are considering La Porte City. If the community develops a wide range of housing
options, it may have a better chance of enticing some of these new businesses to grown in the
City.
2• Overall, La Porte City has three broad categories of housing needs:
o Maintaining and improving the quality, value, and appearance of the City’s housing
stock – improving the current housing stock can make it much more inviting to potential
buyers, as well as increase the values for neighboring houses.
o Promoting housing development in a range of prices and housing options, making La
Porte City affordable and more attractive for different levels of potential homeowners
–adding valuable housing stock to the current housing market would be appealing to
more potential homebuyers by offering a variety of price ranges, lots size and housing
types.
o Promoting residential and business development in a coordinated manner –
approaching developed areas of the City would create a concentration of development
versus being spread throughout the community.
• The Housing Needs Assessment concludes with a list of proposed goals, objectives, and
implementation steps to maintain and expand La Porte City’s housing stock. These
recommendations provide options for the City to promote housing options for a variety of income
levels and household types in a manner that preserves the City’s fiscal and environmental
resources and complements new commercial and industrial development.
3Introduction and Purpose
La Porte City is a rural community, surrounded by farmland. La Porte City has experienced moderate
population growth since recovering from the Farm Crisis of the 1980s, although its population is aging.
Main Street hosts the central business district and showcases a unique downtown commercial area for
visitors and residents to spend time. The downtown area has a number of places on the National Register
of Historic Places. Of these, the City Station (currently City Hall) is one of the most iconic in the City. The
City has maintained a distinct character and presence since its founding and is in a position to benefit from
Black Hawk County’s steady growth.
History and Background
The first inhabitants in the area now known as La Porte City were believed to be Native Americans who
did not settle, but rather migrated through the area. The first outside settlers to frequent the area are
believed to have arrived around 1844, mostly comprised of hunters and trappers.
The first known settler to actually live within the area now known as La Porte City was James Hamer, who
settled in the area in 1853. A man by the name of John A. Dees platted a town site on the north side of
the creek under the name of Ottawa, and soon afterwards tried to sell the site to a Dr. Jesse Wasson of
Vinton, Iowa. Dr. Wasson came to the site and decided that the south side of the creek would provide a
better location for a town. Dr. Wasson and his partner, Joel W. Catlin, both moved to the area in 1855
and shortly thereafter built a storeroom. Dr. Wasson suggested the name La Porte for the new town after
La Porte, Indiana, where he had previously lived. Wesley Whipple made the first official plat of the town
on June 5th, 1855. The plat was filed for record on July 16th, 1855.
It was not until October 7th, 1870, that George Hayzlett, Jasper Parks, and thirty-nine other people
presented a petition to the Circuit Court asking for the official incorporation of La Porte City. An election
was held on January 31st, 1871, which resulted in favor of incorporation. On February 11th, 1871, the town
of La Porte City, Iowa, was duly incorporated. The first elections were held shortly thereafter with R.J.
McQuilkin being chosen as the first Mayor of the community.
Since that date, the City of La Porte City has continued to grow and evolve into the community that it is
today. The history of hazards has been significant, most notably the floodplain. New development trends
are toward the north and west of the community, with the newest residential subdivisions occurring in
those areas. Future development trends play a key role in the development of this plan because several
of the action steps identified specifically address how future mitigation efforts will be impacted by areas
of new growth.
Quality of Life and Community Character
La Porte City residents enjoy the feeling of a close-knit community. Community groups work together to
benefit each other and generally are supportive of one another. A few other characteristics of La Porte
City’s community character include the availability and variety of local services, along with maintaining
prosperous locally-owned businesses.
4Members of the community feel the City is “clean and orderly” and that there are regulations in place
supporting planned growth. Design features that received praise included brick streets and the walkability
of the community.
Natural Resources and Environmental Hazards
The City is located near the Cedar River, which flows generally from northwest to southeast. The
topography of the community is generally flat, with larger degrees of slope near Wolf Creek, which flows
through town before merging with the Cedar River approximately 1.25 miles northeast of town.
La Porte City has some agricultural lands located southwest, south, and north of the City. The primary row
crops are corn and soybeans.
Soils in the La Porte City area are typical of those found in Iowa. These soils are not known to have any
unusual characteristics that would have a substantial impact on flooding in the community.
According to the 2015 Updated Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan for Black Hawk County, the
most probable environmental hazards in La Porte City include thunderstorms, severe winter storms, and
hailstorms. Because La Porte City is in a low-lying area that is vulnerable to flooding, flood hazards are
especially relevant to land use planning efforts
As of 2009, La Porte City had approximately 1,095 acres of identified floodplain within its city limits. This
accounts for approximately 65.3 percent of the City’s total area. Of the approximately 1,446 properties in
La Porte City, approximately 940 are located within the identified floodplain area. This includes an
estimated 701 housing units. The total value (combined land, building, and dwelling value) of the 940
properties located within the floodplain in La Porte City is estimated to be $65,138,140.
In addition, persons living in mobile homes may also be especially vulnerable during tornadoes and high
winds. According to the 2015 American Community Survey 5‐Year Estimates, there are an estimated 6
mobile homes in La Porte City. Using the average persons per households of 2.45, there are approximately
15 persons living in mobile homes in La Porte City.
Further, persons living in some multi‐family units may also be at risk due to the lack of a proper tornado
shelter. According to the 2015 American Community Survey 5‐Year Estimates, there were an estimated
114 housing units in buildings with at least three units. Again, using the average number of persons
household, there are approximately 279 persons living in multi‐family housing units that may be at-risk
during a tornado event.
As noted above, Wolf Creek and the Cedar River pose substantial flood hazards in La Porte City, and several
flood events in the last decade have caused property damage in developed areas. According to the Federal
Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), approximately 940 properties and several streets are located
within the flood hazard area. With the number of properties in the floodplain, “repetitive loss” properties
are a virtual certainty. As defined by FEMA, a repetitive loss property is an insurable building for which
5two or more claims of more than $1,000 were paid by the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) within
a 10-year period; according to 2009 FEMA data, La Porte City has 15 repetitive loss properties.
Flash flooding has occurred in La Porte City in the past, but the City has since installed a substantial amount
of storm sewer infrastructure throughout the community. Additionally, with La Porte City being
surrounded by row cropland, recent tiling and drainage activity in farm fields near the floodplain may also
be increasing rainwater discharge to Wolf Creek and its tributaries during some storm events.
Figure 1: Floodplain in La Porte City
Source: ESRI ArcGIS map of FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs).
6Public Infrastructure and Utilities
La Porte City’s public infrastructure and utilities are owned and operated either by the municipality or
through a contracted service. Below are the City’s public infrastructure and utilities providers.
Streets and Highways
The City of La Porte City maintains 34 lane miles of paved roadway. Standard maintenance on the streets
is the responsibility of the Public Works Department.
Sidewalks
Sidewalks are present in older sections of the community and newer developments, but there are areas
of the community missing sidewalks. Incidentally, many of the older sidewalks need to be replaced.
Trails – Pedestrian & Bicycle
La Porte City is fortunate to have trail access for members of its community. The nearby Cedar Valley
Nature Trail is a recreational trail that connects the larger communities of Waterloo and Cedar Rapids,
and which is a segment of the American Discovery Trail. There are also other trails in the area including
along Wolf Creek.
Water Service
The water utility in La Porte City is municipally owned. The City’s average consumption is reported to be
200,000 gallons/day, and it has 922 water user accounts on the system (825 residential, 90 commercial, 6
municipal, and 1 utility).
Residents are currently supplied water through two wells and one water tower. The first well, Well #4,
was drilled in 1972 and is 1,400 feet deep with a capacity of 500 gallons per minute (gpm), while the
second, Well #5, was drilled in 2011 and it is also 1,400 feet deep with a capacity of 475 gpm. Construction
was completed in 2011 on the current elevated water tower, and it holds approximately 400,000 gallons
of water.
Sewer Service
The sewage treatment facility in La Porte City is engineered to have a design capacity of 554,000
gallons/day. The average daily load is approximately 250,000 gallons. While there are a few septic
systems located in the community, it is estimated that 98 percent of the community is served by the
municipal sanitary sewer system. The City estimates that there are 948 active sanitary sewer hookups in
the community.
Municipal Power Plant
The City of La Porte City has a power plant that was originally built in 1935 and it has had numerous
updates since that time, the most recent of which included $1.2 million in improvements. The City
7purchases electricity from Resale Power Group of Iowa, a group created by municipalities who purchase
their electricity together in order to garner a more competitive rate.
In addition to providing backup generation services to La Porte City, the municipal power plant is required
to provide some energy to the grid, especially during times of peak use.
Telephone
Telephone service in the community is provided by LPC Connect. The company began as the La Porte City
Farmers Mutual Telephone Company over 100 years ago and has continued to improve services and
technology in the City.
Community Services
Education
The Union Community School District has four school buildings; two are in La Porte City and two are in
Dysart. The offices for the school district are also in La Porte City. The school facilities are well
maintained, and in recent years, a preschool was added to the elementary school.
Resident school district enrollment has slowly decreased from 1,121 in the 2012-2013 academic year to
1,095 in 2016-2017. While enrollment numbers have been declining slightly, the percentage of students
has remained constant averaging around 95 percent of the total certified enrollment. Open enrollment
numbers have fluctuated throughout the years. Overall, the District’s projections indicate that enrollment
will decline to 954 by the 2021-2022 academic year, not accounting for the possible future impact of
residential growth or loss throughout the community.
Union Community School District ranks in the middle of the school districts in Iowa according to
Niche.com. Niche is website that “rigorously analyzes dozens of public data sets and millions of reviews
to produce comprehensive rankings, report cards, and profiles for every K-12 school, college, and
neighborhood in the U.S.”. Based on the Iowa School Report Card on EducateIowa.gov, the Union
Community School District has “acceptable” or higher rankings when compared to other schools in the
state.
8Figure 2. Enrollment in Union Community School District.
Union School District Past and Projected Enrollment
1400
1200
Number of Students
1000
800
600
400
200
0
'12/'13 '13/'14 '14/'15 '15/'16 '16/'17 '17/'18 '18/'19 '19/'20 '20/'21 '21/'22
School Year
Total enrollment Projected enrollment
Source: Union Community School District Certified Enrollment for the 2016-2017 School Year and Five-Year
Enrollment Projections.
Emergency Services
Police protection is provided by the City with one full-time officer.
Fire and rescue service is provided by a local volunteer force. This gives the City a unique local level of
service compared to other small communities who depend on fire and rescue services provided by other
cities.
Demographic Overview
Over the past century, La Porte City grew from a small town of fewer than 1,250 people to a community
of over 2,200 today. According to data obtained from the 2010 Census, La Porte City has a population of
2,285 people. With the notable exception of the 1980s, the City has experienced an increase in population
every decade, with a 15.5 percent increase between 1960 and 1970 being the largest. The reason for the
decrease in population during the 1980s, an 8.4 percent decrease, is due primarily to the struggling local
economy during that time-period. Between 2000 and 2010, the City’s population saw a 0.4 percent
increase.
According to the population projections shown in Figure 3, La Porte City will experience an estimated
population increase of about 170 people by 2030. The highest estimate of 2,545 people was obtained
from a geometric projection of the using the decades between 1950-2010 – an average of 85 people per
decade. The lowest estimate – 2,259 people – was obtained from a linear projection using the decades
between 1990-2010, or 13 people per decade. A geometric projection using population figures between
91990-2010 population yields a population projection similar to the linear projection from 1990-2010 of
2,268 people.
Figure 3: Population Trends in La Porte City
2,500
Actual
2,400
Population
2,300
2,200
2,100 Geometric
2,000 increase
projected from
1,900
2000-2010
1,800
Linear increase
1,700
projected from
1,600 1950-2010
1,500
1,400 Linear increase
1,300 projected from
2000-2010
1,200
1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 2030
Source: U.S. Census Bureau data from Iowa State Data Center, population projections by INRCOG
Table 1 shows Census Bureau demographic data for 2000, 2010, and an estimate from 2015. The 2000
and 2010 numbers are complete counts from the Decennial Census, while the 2015 data was obtained
from the American Community Survey 5-year estimates. As a result, ACS estimates cannot readily be
compared to Decennial Census data and may be unreliable for small communities. Nevertheless, they are
provided in Table 1 for informational purposes only.
10Table 1: La Porte City Demographics
Demographic Variable 2000 2010 2015 (Estimate)
Total Population 2,275 2,285 2,315
Age
Median Age 37.3 39.6 38.1
Under 18 26.4% 27.0% 28.2%
25 to 44 26.3% 24.9% 22.6%
65 and older 20.9% 18.3% 15.1%
Households and Families
Average Household Size 2.43 2.45 2.38
Average Family Size 2.97 3.04 Not Calculated
Family Households (% of 68.7% 65.7% Not Calculated
households)
Households with Children (% 34.6% 34.5% Not Calculated
of households)
Race and Ethnicity
White 99.2% 97.8% 98.0%
Black/African-American 0.1% 0.8% 0%
American Indian/Alaska 0.2% 0.1% 0%
Native
Asian/Pacific Islander 0.1% 0.2% 1.1%
Other race 0.7% 0.1% 0.0%
Two or more races 0% 1.0% 1.0%
Hispanic or Latino (of any 0.2% 1.0% 0.4%
race)
Source: 2000 and 2010 Decennial Census, 2015 5-year American Community Survey (ACS)
11Between 2000 and 2010, La Porte City’s population grew by 0.4 percent, from 2,275 to 2,285. The median
age increased from 37.3 to nearly 39.6, a trend seen in many other rural Iowa communities. The number
of children increased slightly, while prime working-age adults (25 to 44 years old) in La Porte City declined
between 2000 and 2010. The senior share of the population (65 and older) also declined by 2.6 percent.
Family characteristics for La Porte City were consistent throughout the decade. The average household
size, average family size, and the percentages of households with children all experienced less than a one
percent change between 2000 and 2010. The percentage of family households decreased slightly between
2000 and 2010, from 68.7 percent to 65.7 percent.
Age Distribution by Gender
85 years and over
80 to 84 years
75 to 79 years
70 to 74 years
65 to 69 years
60 to 64 years
55 to 59 years
50 to 54 years
Age Range
45 to 49 years 2010 Female
40 to 44 years
2010 Male
35 to 39 years
2000 Female
30 to 34 years
25 to 29 years 2000 Male
20 to 24 years
15 to 19 years
10 to 14 years
5 to 9 years
Under 5 years
100 80 60 40 20 0 20 40 60 80 100
Population
Figure 4: Age Distribution by Gender of La Porte City Residents
Source: 2000 and 2010 Decennial Census
Figure 4 shows the age distribution of La Porte City’s residents by gender. Overall, between 2000 and
2010, the age distribution shifted toward older age brackets, with declines in two of the four childhood
age cohorts and increases in age brackets 45 years and older. However, increases were seen in the 5-9
and 10-14 age brackets, which may suggest that families are staying, but new young families may not be
moving to La Porte City. The suggestion of young families not moving to the area would also support the
Union Community School District’s prediction of decreasing enrollment over the next five years.
As Table 1 shows, La Porte City’s population is predominantly Non-Hispanic White. (The Census Bureau
collects data on ethnicity – whether or not a person identifies as Hispanic or Latino – separately from
12race.) However, the percentages of residents did diversify over the past decade. Those who identify as
Black, Asian or Pacific Islander, mixed-race, or Hispanic/Latino increased slightly between 2000 and
2010.
Economic Overview
La Porte City is an above-average-income community. Table 2 below compares 2015 5-year ACS data on
income, employment, and poverty for La Porte City, Waterloo, Cedar Falls, La Porte City, Jesup, Black
Hawk County, and the State of Iowa. The limitations of ACS data are discussed in the Demographic
Overview section above, but the ACS is the most current and authoritative public data source for small
communities like La Porte City. The City’s household income falls between all the jurisdictions in
comparison. Waterloo and Black Hawk County are below, while Cedar Falls, La Porte City, Jesup, and the
State of Iowa have higher household incomes. Median family income is less likely than median household
income to be skewed downward by the presence of student households, but La Porte City’s median family
income ($70,250) is higher than that of Waterloo ($52,366), Jesup ($68,664), Black Hawk County
($63,011), and the State of Iowa ($67,466). The only cities included in the table with a family income
higher than La Porte City were Hudson ($89,800) and Cedar Falls ($81,996).
La Porte City has one of the lower labor force participation rates in comparison to the cities listed in Table
2. The poverty rate is higher than half the jurisdictions shown, but the unemployment rate is the lowest
in the comparisons (2.7 percent), the next closest city’s rate was Hudson (4.8 percent).
Table 2: Income, Employment, and Poverty in La Porte City and Other Communities.
Economic Variable La Porte City Waterloo Cedar Falls Hudson Jesup Black Hawk Co. Iowa
Median household
$50,281 $41,933 $55,808 $77,969 $56,898 $48,369 $53,183
income
Median family income $70,250 $52,366 $81,996 $89,800 $68,664 $63,011 $67,466
Unemployment rate* 2.7% 8.9% 5.0% 4.8% 7.2% 6.6% 4.9%
Labor force
66.6% 66.1% 69.4% 72.9% 75.4% 67.3% 67.6%
participation rate*
Poverty rate
12.7% 17.6% 18.5% 4.1% 4.5% 15.7% 12.5%
(individuals)
Poverty rate (families) 12.2% 13.2% 5.1% 2.4% 5.5% 9.0% 8.1%
Source: 2015 5-year ACS. *For the civilian population 16 years and older. U.S. Census Bureau estimates are not
comparable to official Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates.
13The number of workers who live in La Porte City but commute elsewhere for work (955) is higher than the
number who work in La Porte City but live elsewhere (441), which is a common trend for small
communities near a metropolitan area (Figure 5). Beside the 8.9 percent of the workforce who live and
work in La Porte City, most workers who live in La Porte City are employed in Waterloo or Cedar Falls (62.3
percent), while the other 28.8 percent of the workforce are employed throughout surrounding
communities in the region.
Figure 5: Inflow/Outflow Patterns for Workforce in La Porte City.
Source: Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics (LEHD)
People who work in La Porte City earn a range of incomes overall, but workers who commute to La Porte
City from other communities are less likely to earn more than $3,333 per month –or $40,000 per year.
Conversely, those La Porte City residents that work outside of the community typically earn higher wages
than if they worked within the community, as shown in Table 3.
14Table 3: Earnings of La Porte City Workers
Outflow (live in La Porte Inflow (work in La Porte
Income
City, work elsewhere) City, live elsewhere)
Workers Earning $1,250 per month or less 164 114
Workers Earning $1,251 to $3,333 per month 374 150
Workers Earning More than $3,333 per month 417 177
Source: Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics (LEHD).
Housing in La Porte City
American Community Survey Estimates
In La Porte City, as in most rural Iowa communities, the housing stock is predominantly owner-occupied
(74.0 percent of occupied units) and comprised of single-family detached units (82.5 percent of all units;
see Table 4). Also, as in most rural Iowa communities, La Porte City’s housing stock is relatively old.
Approximately 44.6 percent of La Porte City’s housing units were built before 1959, and about 35.6
percent were built between 1960-1979. The most recent surge in housing construction was between 1980
and 1999. According to the estimates, there have only been a small percentage (1.9) built since 2000.
Furthermore, 30.2 percent of households moved into their La Porte City unit between 2010 and 2014, and
29.4 percent moved-in between 2000 and 2009. This may be an indication that there is a recent demand
for housing in the City. The housing data in Table 4 below comes from 2015 ACS estimates, the limitations
of which are described earlier in this report. However, as for the economic data in Table 2, ACS estimates
are the most current and authoritative public data available at this time.
Housing prices and vacancy rates in La Porte City indicate a relatively fair market for both buyers and
sellers. La Porte City’s overall vacancy rate is 7.3 percent, which is slightly lower than that of Waterloo (8.3
percent), Black Hawk County (7.4 percent), and the State of Iowa (8.7 percent). La Porte City’s estimated
owner vacancy rate of 2.8 percent is slightly higher but still comparable to that of Black Hawk County (1.8
percent). Its rental vacancy rate is estimated to be 5.3 percent. Of note, however, is the fact that La Porte
City’s rental vacancy rate is a mere 2.8 percent, which is less than half of any of the other jurisdictions
presented in Table 6.
15Table 4: Characteristics of La Porte City's Housing Stock
Subject Estimate Margin of Error Percent % Margin of Error
HOUSING OCCUPANCY
Total housing units 972 +/-79 972 (X)
Occupied housing units 901 +/-76 92.7% +/-4.7
Vacant housing units 71 +/-48 7.3% +/-4.7
Homeowner vacancy rate 2.8 +/-3.2 (X) (X)
Rental vacancy rate 5.3 +/-8.4 (X) (X)
UNITS IN STRUCTURE
Total housing units 972 +/-79 972 (X)
1-unit, detached 789 +/-75 81.2% +/-5.5
1-unit, attached 13 +/-13 1.3% +/-1.3
2 units 39 +/-35 4.0% +/-3.5
3 or 4 units 33 +/-25 3.4% +/-2.6
5 to 9 units 28 +/-23 2.9% +/-2.3
10 to 19 units 65 +/-32 6.7% +/-3.2
20 or more units 0 +/-9 0.0% +/-2.0
Mobile home 5 +/-7 0.5% +/-0.7
Boat, RV, van, etc. 0 +/-9 0.0% +/-2.0
YEAR STRUCTURE BUILT
Total housing units 972 +/-79 972 (X)
Built 2014 or later 0 +/-9 0.0% +/-2.0
Built 2010 to 2013 0 +/-9 0.0% +/-2.0
Built 2000 to 2009 17 +/-15 1.7% +/-1.5
Built 1990 to 1999 75 +/-27 7.7% +/-2.9
Built 1980 to 1989 86 +/-36 8.8% +/-3.6
Built 1970 to 1979 201 +/-63 20.7% +/-5.8
Built 1960 to 1969 137 +/-42 14.1% +/-4.2
Built 1950 to 1959 106 +/-43 10.9% +/-4.3
Built 1940 to 1949 53 +/-22 5.5% +/-2.2
Built 1939 or earlier 297 +/-50 30.6% +/-5.0
HOUSING TENURE
Occupied housing units 901 +/-76 901 (X)
Owner-occupied 667 +/-72 74.0% +/-6.5
Renter-occupied 234 +/-64 26.0% +/-6.5
Average household size of owner-
2.58 +/-0.22 (X) (X)
occupied unit
Average household size of renter-
2.33 +/-0.45 (X) (X)
occupied unit
YEAR HOUSEHOLDER MOVED INTO UNIT
Occupied housing units 901 +/-76 901 (X)
Moved in 2015 or later 6 +/-7 0.7% +/-0.8
Moved in 2010 to 2014 272 +/-68 30.2% +/-6.6
Moved in 2000 to 2009 265 +/-57 29.4% +/-6.6
Moved in 1990 to 1999 189 +/-51 21.0% +/-5.2
Moved in 1980 to 1989 52 +/-22 5.8% +/-2.5
Moved in 1979 and earlier 117 +/-44 13.0% +/-4.8
VALUE
Owner-occupied units 667 +/-72 667 (X)
Less than $50,000 36 +/-16 5.4% +/-2.4
$50,000 to $99,999 181 +/-46 27.1% +/-5.9
$100,000 to $149,999 251 +/-53 37.6% +/-7.2
$150,000 to $199,999 120 +/-33 18.0% +/-4.9
$200,000 to $299,999 74 +/-33 11.1% +/-4.6
$300,000 to $499,999 0 +/-9 0.0% +/-3.0
$500,000 to $999,999 5 +/-7 0.7% +/-1.1
$1,000,000 or more 0 +/-9 0.0% +/-3.0
Median (dollars) $119,000 +/-5,685 (X) (X)
16Table 5: Characteristics of La Porte City's Housing Stock (Continued)
MORTGAGE STATUS
Owner-occupied units 667 +/-72 667 (X)
Housing units with a mortgage 389 +/-65 58.3% +/-7.8
Housing units without a mortgage 278 +/-61 41.7% +/-7.8
SELECTED MONTHLY OWNER COSTS (SMOC)
Housing units with a mortgage 389 +/-65 389 (X)
Less than $500 0 +/-9 0.0% +/-5.0
$500 to $999 164 +/-52 42.2% +/-10.5
$1,000 to $1,499 165 +/-44 42.4% +/-10.0
$1,500 to $1,999 49 +/-28 12.6% +/-6.9
$2,000 to $2,499 11 +/-12 2.8% +/-2.9
$2,500 to $2,999 0 +/-9 0.0% +/-5.0
$3,000 or more 0 +/-9 0.0% +/-5.0
Median (dollars) $1,065 +/-72 (X) (X)
Housing units without a mortgage 278 +/-61 278 (X)
Less than $250 29 +/-17 10.4% +/-5.4
$250 to $399 84 +/-28 30.2% +/-9.5
$400 to $599 134 +/-41 48.2% +/-9.3
$600 to $799 22 +/-18 7.9% +/-6.1
$800 to $999 9 +/-10 3.2% +/-3.7
$1,000 or more 0 +/-9 0.0% +/-6.9
Median (dollars) $440 +/-41 (X) (X)
SELECTED MONTHLY OWNER COSTS AS A PERCENTAGE OF HOUSEHOLD INCOME (SMOCAPI)
Housing units with a mortgage 389 +/-65 389 (X)
Less than 20.0 percent 249 +/-50 64.0% +/-10.2
20.0 to 24.9 percent 66 +/-39 17.0% +/-9.0
25.0 to 29.9 percent 10 +/-11 2.6% +/-2.8
30.0 to 34.9 percent 12 +/-13 3.1% +/-3.2
35.0 percent or more 52 +/-31 13.4% +/-7.5
Not computed 0 +/-9 (X) (X)
Housing unit without a mortgage 278 +/-61 278 (X)
Less than 10.0 percent 117 +/-40 42.1% +/-9.9
10.0 to 14.9 percent 40 +/-21 14.4% +/-7.1
15.0 to 19.9 percent 36 +/-22 12.9% +/-7.8
20.0 to 24.9 percent 30 +/-24 10.8% +/-8.2
25.0 to 29.9 percent 14 +/-13 5.0% +/-4.3
30.0 to 34.9 percent 10 +/-10 3.6% +/-3.6
35.0 percent or more 31 +/-19 11.2% +/-6.9
Not computed 0 +/-9 (X) (X)
GROSS RENT
Occupied units paying rent 220 +/-63 220 (X)
Less than $500 42 +/-31 19.1% +/-13.1
$500 to $999 148 +/-55 67.3% +/-16.5
$1,000 to $1,499 30 +/-27 13.6% +/-11.7
$1,500 to $1,999 0 +/-9 0.0% +/-8.7
$2,000 to $2,499 0 +/-9 0.0% +/-8.7
$2,500 to $2,999 0 +/-9 0.0% +/-8.7
$3,000 or more 0 +/-9 0.0% +/-8.7
Median (dollars) $598 +/-154 (X) (X)
No rent paid 14 +/-13 (X) (X)
GROSS RENT AS A PERCENTAGE OF HOUSEHOLD INCOME (GRAPI)
Occupied units paying rent 215 +/-63 215 (X)
Less than 15.0 percent 31 +/-23 14.4% +/-10.0
15.0 to 19.9 percent 35 +/-36 16.3% +/-14.4
20.0 to 24.9 percent 21 +/-13 9.8% +/-6.2
25.0 to 29.9 percent 34 +/-35 15.8% +/-15.5
30.0 to 34.9 percent 25 +/-22 11.6% +/-11.5
35.0 percent or more 69 +/-32 32.1% +/-13.5
Source: 2015 5-year ACS.
17Table 6: Housing Market Overview for La Porte City and Other Communities
La Porte Cedar Jesup Black Hawk State of
Housing Market Variable Waterloo Hudson
City Falls County Iowa
Vacant housing units 8.3% 7.3% 2.7% 6.9%
5.5% 7.4% 8.7%
Homeowner vacancy rate 2.2% 2.8% 1.7% 1.4%
1.1% 1.8% 1.6%
Rental vacancy rate 9.6% 2.8% 0.0% 7.5%
7.3% 8.4% 6.2%
Median value of owner units $104,200 $119,000 $172,000 $170,500
$134,800 $130,200 $129,200
Median monthly owner costs
$1,065 $959 $1,318 $1,337 $1,152 $1,074 $1,171
(units with mortgage)
Median gross rent $598 $672 $759 $675 $512 $700 $697
Cost burdened owner
16.5% 22.6% 17.5% 6.7% 22.3% 20.7% 21.6%
households (with mortgages) *
Cost burdened renter
43.7% 51.9% 54.7% 19.8% 35.9% 50.9% 44.6%
households*
Source: 2015 5-year ACS. *Households whose housing costs (including utilities, taxes, insurance, homeowner
association or condominium fees, etc.) are 30 percent or more of their gross income are considered cost burdened.
Figure 6: Prices of Homes Sold Between November 2014- November 2017
45% La Porte City
40% Hudson
Black Hawk
35% County
Percent of Homes with At Price
Waterloo
30%
Cedar Falls
25% Iowa
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%
≤ $49,000 $50,000 to $100,000 to $150,000 to $200,000 to $400,000 or
$99,999 $149,999 $199,999 $399,999 more
Prices Homes Sold for Between November 2014- November 2017
Source: Multiple Listing Service.
18Table 7: Rent Asked in La Porte City and Other Communities
All Units La Porte City Waterloo Cedar Falls Hudson Black Hawk County Iowa
All vacant-for-rent and 13 1,149 571 0 1,785 28,49
rented, not occupied units 0
Less than $100 0 0 0 0 0 213
$100 to $149 0 0 0 0 0 295
$150 to $199 0 19 0 0 19 201
$200 to $249 0 0 0 0 0 564
$250 to $299 0 0 25 0 25 918
$300 to $349 0 68 0 0 68 1,285
$350 to $399 0 16 47 0 63 2,230
$400 to $449 0 203 0 0 211 3,020
$450 to $499 0 126 39 0 182 2,450
$500 to $549 0 184 14 0 198 2,760
$550 to $599 0 181 50 0 231 2,248
$600 to $649 0 101 68 0 169 2,440
$650 to $699 13 41 102 0 177 2,153
$700 to $749 0 72 24 0 102 1,303
$750 to $799 0 17 59 0 76 1,301
$800 to $899 0 39 23 0 62 1,092
$900 to $999 0 0 18 0 18 890
$1,000 to $1,249 0 0 20 0 20 866
$1,250 to $1,499 0 0 28 0 28 382
$1,500 to $1,999 0 15 0 0 15 329
$2,000 to $2,499 0 67 30 0 97 670
$2,500 to $2,999 0 0 24 0 24 230
$3,000 to $3,499 0 0 0 0 0 344
$3,500 or more 0 0 0 0 0 306
Source: 2015 5-year ACS.
La Porte City’s median gross rent – the rent paid to the landlord plus the cost of utilities – is $598 per
month. This is lower than all the jurisdictions shown in Table 6, except for Jesup ($512). However, the
number of units available to rent, or rented but not yet occupied, is estimated to be zero at every price
point with the exception of the $650-$699 price point, which had an estimated thirteen units available
(Table 7); this supports the estimated 2.8 percent rental vacancy rate for La Porte City (Table 4 and Table
6). Despite the limitations of ACS data, this information shows that Hudson is the only jurisdiction that is
in close comparison to La Porte City when it comes to rental vacancy rates.
Households who pay 30 percent or more of their incomes on housing costs (including rent or mortgage
payments, utilities, taxes and insurance, and homeowner association or condominium fees), are
considered to be “cost burdened.” Cost burdened households have less money to spend on other
priorities, such as food, health care, and retirement savings1. In La Porte City, the percentage of owners
with mortgages and renters who are cost burdened (16.1 percent and 43.7 percent, respectively) is similar
to those reported by the State of Iowa, as is also presented in Table 6.
1
The concept of cost burden is generally used to study the housing costs of low- and moderate-income households,
since affluent households are better positioned to pay 30% or more of their incomes for housing.
19Local Data
Home Sale Market
For the home sale market, Multiple Listing Service (MLS) data provides more current information than the
ACS. Similar to ACS data on home values in La Porte City and other jurisdiction in Black Hawk County, MLS
data shows that La Porte City’s median home sale price of $144,698 is below average in comparison to
other selected communities in Table 8. Of all the Black Hawk County jurisdictions illustrated, La Porte City
has the lowest median sale price. Conversely, La Porte City reported the lowest median number of days
on the market for its home sales when compared to the other communities. La Porte City’s home sale
volume as a share of all owner units2 is 13.6 percent, which is comparable to the other communities except
for Hudson, which reported 7.8 percent. This number is not equivalent to an owner vacancy rate, because
it is impossible to know which homes on MLS are vacant or occupied. However, this ratio provides a better
comparative indicator of owner housing turnover in La Porte City and other Black Hawk County
communities than the ACS owner vacancy rates shown in Table 6.
Table 8: Home Sales in La Porte City and Surrounding Jurisdictions
Median Days Home Sale Volume (% of
Community Median Sale Price
on Market owner housing units)
La Porte City $144,698 73 13.6%
Waterloo $154,109 77 13.6%
Cedar Falls $162,904 77 16.2%
Hudson $161,536 76 7.8%
Black Hawk County $154,316 77 12.7%
Source: Multiple Listing Service, Black Hawk County Assessor.
MLS data also indicates that La Porte City has a comparable homebuyer market when measured against
other communities in the region. As Table 9 shows, La Porte City’s median sale price over the past three
years is $144,698, lower than comparable sized jurisdictions in the surrounding areas. Homes sold in La
Porte City over the last three years spent a median 73 days on the market, which is consistent with like-
sized communities. Finally, La Porte City had 94 home sales over the last three years, a ratio of 0.041 sales
per resident, which is high compared to the other cities in Table 9.
2
Based on Black Hawk County Assessor data on single-family, townhome, and condominium units. It was not possible
to separate out rental units, but these estimates also exclude owner units in duplex and multifamily structures. These
two sources of error are assumed to counterbalance each other to some extent.
20Table 9: Home Sales in La Porte City and Comparable Rural Communities, 2014 to 2017
Median Ratio of Number Ratio of
Median Number
Community Population days on sales to of owner sales to
sale price of sales
market residents units owner units
La Porte City 2,315 $144,698 73 94 0.041 693 0.136
Hudson 2,391 $161,536 76 62 0.026 796 0.078
Jesup 2,691 $164,013 64 42 0.030 686 0.120
Source: Multiple Listing Service data from 5/23/14 to 5/23/17 (price, days on market, number of sales), 2015 5-
year ACS (population, number of owner units). *Includes owner-occupied units, vacant-for-sale units, and owner
units that are sold but not yet occupied.
Figure 9 offers a cluster diagram showing the number of days on the market and sale price of each unit
over a three-year period of time, 2014 to 2017. What is apparent is the even distribution around the
median days on the market and the clustering of prices under $150,000.
Figure 7: Days on Market by Price Asked for La Porte City Home Sales, 2014 to 2017
Cumulative Days on Market
600
500
400
Days on Market
300
200
100
0
$0 $50,000 $100,000 $150,000 $200,000 $250,000 $300,000 $350,000 $400,000
Sale Price
Source: MLS
21Rental Market
To obtain firsthand information on the prices and vacancy rates of La Porte City’s rental housing stock,
INRCOG surveyed seven landlords and property managers known to be renting units in the City. Five rental
property owners and managers provided feedback, and the remaining two could not be reached or
declined to provide feedback. The results of the survey are summarized in Table 10.
With the exception of an assisted living facility, most rental units have two bedrooms and are priced
between $450 and $525 per month. No respondents reported having vacant units, and among the four
respondents who were able to provide the number of days vacant units spend on the market, estimates
ranged from 7 to 30 days. The property manager of 24 low-income senior apartments, built with subsidies
from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, noted that days on market for their vacant units increased when
they switched from advertising in newspapers across the state to online advertising only. However,
average days on market returned to about 30 when the property manager resumed advertising in the La
Porte City newspaper. This seems to suggest that La Porte City has ample demand for high-quality,
moderately priced senior housing.
22Table 10: La Porte City Rental Market Information from Property Managers and Landlords
Landlord Rentals Units by bedrooms and price Vacancy
or in La Vacant Days on
All Factors affecting DOM / Comments
Property Porte 1 BR 2 BR 3 BR 4 BR for market
Manager City Vacant
rent
Incoming residents need to give 30-day notice to
1 32 24 $511 8 $609 - - - - 0 0 30
previous landlord
Less
Unexpected move outs, which leads to no advertising
2 5 1 375 4 525 - - - - 0 0 Than 30
time
Days
30-60
3 14 3 350 9 475 2 595 - - 0 0 Finding Qualified Tenants
Days
4 1 1 550 - - - - - - - - - -
Less
5 3 - - 3 450 - - - - 0 0 than 15 Dated Units; Units are only 700 Sq. Ft.
Days
6 - - - - - - - - - - - - -
7 - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Source: Surveys of property managers and landlords with rental units in La Porte City
23Housing Conditions
The quality of a community’s housing stock is an important component in understanding its housing
needs. If poor-quality housing is widespread in a community, many low- and moderate-income
households may have housing-related maintenance hardships even if they are not cost burdened. A
prevalence of housing with maintenance needs may also indicate an opportunity to meet existing and
future demand by rehabilitating vacant units.
A survey of La Porte City’s housing units was conducted on October 19th, 2017. Each unit was rated
according to the categories in Table 11. During the survey, all housing units were evaluated and given a
ranking of either excellent, good, fair, poor, or dilapidated. The excellent category made up 5.53 percent
of the housing stock in the City. The vast majority of housing units surveyed (75.28 percent) are in good
condition, 17.59 percent are in the fair condition, 1.51 percent are in the poor condition, and fewer than
1 percent are in dilapidated condition. This suggests that La Porte City could have the ability to expand its
supply of decent, safe, and sanitary housing by rehabilitating existing units. New construction is an option,
but not the only option to significantly expand the City’s housing supply.
24Table 11: Windshield Survey of La Porte City Housing Units
Windshield Survey Criteria
Condition Criteria # of Units % of Units
• No visible needed repairs or updates are apparent
Excellent
• Typically, new construction, recently renovated, 55 5.53%
or extremely well-maintained units
• Unit appears structurally sound (foundation,
building envelope, roof)
• Unit appears well maintained – most siding,
Good gutters, trim, windows, and doors are in good
749 75.28%
repair with good exterior paint condition. Minor
problems such as small areas of peeling paint
and/or other routine maintenance items may
exist.
• Unit appears structurally sound (foundation,
building envelope, roof)
• Need for some maintenance or repair - painting
Fair the house, fixing a broken door or window, 175 17.59%
putting on new shutters, replace or fix awnings,
etc.
• Issues are primarily cosmetic but cover a sufficient
portion of the structure
• One or more visible structural defects
(foundation, building envelope, or roof) but still
habitable. Building requires significant work to
address items such as uneven roof lines; shingles
in need of immediate replacement; falling-in
Poor porch; major cracks or shifting of the foundation,
15 1.51%
etc.
• Unit requires significant repairs or updates, which
would be difficult to correct through normal
maintenance (multiple broken doors or windows,
roof needing to be re-shingled, excessive paint
peeling/missing, etc.)
• Unit is suffering from excessive neglect
• Building appears structurally unsound
• Maintenance is non-existent
Dilapidated • Building not fit for habitation in current condition. 1 0.10%
Multiple windows and/or doors may be boarded
up. The building may be considered for demolition
or, at minimum, major rehabilitation will be
required
25Affordability of Homes for Sale
Affordability of homeownership is a function of both a community’s housing costs and the incomes of the
households that wish to live in the community. As discussed above, the rate of housing cost burden among
homeowners with mortgages is relatively low in La Porte City. However, homeownership is typically less
affordable to low- and moderate-income families in the region. Table 12 compares the income needed to
purchase a median-priced home in La Porte City to the average laborshed wage in Iowa Workforce
Development Region 7, which includes Black Hawk County. The assumptions used to calculate the
minimum income needed include:
• 30-year fixed-rate mortgage at 4.3 percent interest
• Federal Housing Administration (FHA) insured mortgage with 3.5 percent down payment
• Front-end ratio of 31 percent, back-end ratio of 41 percent, monthly household debt other than
mortgage is 15 percent of income
• Assessed value is 85 percent of purchase price
• Annual mortgage and homeowner insurance costs combined are 1.5 percent of the purchase price
Table 12: Affordability of Homes for Purchase in La Porte City
Median sale price in La Porte City $144,698
Income needed to afford median-priced home in La Porte City $43,410
Average laborshed wage (annualized average weekly wage) $41,808
Source: MLS, Iowa Workforce Development 2015 Annual Profile: Region 7
The minimum income needed to purchase a median-priced home in La Porte City, using the underwriting
assumptions listed above, is $43,410, which is above the annual average laborshed wage of $41,808. With
that said, many homebuyer households consist of two earners with a combined income over $48,232, the
median household income was estimated to be $50,281 in 2015. Having two adults continuously
employed may be a challenge for many families. For example, when a family moves to a community
where one wage earner has obtained a job, it may take several months for the other wage earner to find
a new job, which makes affording housing more difficult. Additionally, many families with young children
have one adult member who is working outside the home only part-time or parenting full-time. This, too,
makes affording housing challenging
Future Housing Supply and Demand
This section uses data on population and household size trends, home construction, available residential
lots, and other factors in order to estimate supply and demand for new housing in La Porte City by 2030.
Because the most recent American Community Survey estimates of demographic and housing factors are
from 2015, this year is used as a baseline for projecting housing supply and demand. More recent local
data is used for certain variables, as appropriate.
26To determine the gross new housing stock that will be added in La Porte City between 2015 and 2030, the
home construction rate of 4.25 units per year (from 2013 – 2017 building permit data) was projected over
15 years, resulting in an estimate of 64 new units constructed by 2030 (Table 13). By 2030, some housing
units will also be lost due to demolition, deterioration, or otherwise being removed from the housing
market by their owners. The 2009 Iowa Housing Needs Assessment from Iowa State University estimates
an annual loss rate of 0.67 percent for single-family, owner-occupied units (which comprise most of La
Porte City’s housing stock) in metropolitan areas, which would result in an estimated loss of 80 units in La
Porte City between 2015 and 2030 (not shown in Table 13). This is likely a high estimate of unit loss since
the City’s housing stock is relatively young. By contrast, La Porte City’s demolition records since 2013 show
a demolition rate of 1 unit per year, or 15 units over 15 years. Averaging the residential loss rates from
the Iowa Housing Needs Assessment’s loss factor and La Porte City’s demolition records yields an
estimated loss of 47 units between 2015 and 2030, resulting in a net addition of 17 units.
Table 13 also estimates the number of units that will be age-restricted and the number of new lots that
will be needed to accommodate 64 gross new units. Three of these units (4 percent) are assumed to be
age-restricted3 based on 2009-2015 data for new residential construction in the Midwest from the Census
Bureau’s Characteristics of New Housing. City data indicates there are 31 vacant lots currently available
to be developed. Additionally, if the 47 units projected to be lost from the housing stock are cleared and
made available for infill residential development, zero new residential lots will be needed by 2030 to
accommodate the projected residential development. However, if none of the 47 properties lots from the
residential stock become available for infill development, 64 new lots will be needed.
To determine if La Porte City’s projected new housing development between 2015 and 2030 is adequate
to meet the City’s needs, Table 13 provides estimates of new housing demand over this time-period. The
basic approach to projecting housing demand is to divide the projected population increase by household
size to estimate the number of new households that will need residential units. The average household
size during the 2015-2030 period is estimated to be 2.49. Based on the population projections in Figure 3,
La Porte City’s population will increase by 157 persons (low estimate) to 260 persons (high estimate)
between 2015 and 2030. Dividing the estimated population increase by average household size, provides
initial estimates of 63 to 105 new households (not shown in Table 13). These initial estimates maintain
the 2015 rental vacancy rate of 5 percent (a level considered indicative of a healthy rental market) and
subtracting seniors assumed to be in nursing homes (see note below Table 13). The net estimate of
households added between 2015 and 2030 in La Porte City ranges from 55 to 91.
3
Age-restricted units may only be occupied by households where one or more members are age 55 or older.
27Table 13: Projected Housing Supply and Demand in La Porte City, 2015 - 2030
Supply Variable Value Source
Current housing stock 972 Black Hawk County Assessor, windshield survey, building permit data
New homes/year 4.25 Building permit data 2013 - 2017
Demolitions/year 1 City of La Porte City demolition data since 2013
Estimated loss rate* 0.67% Iowa Housing Needs Assessment, Iowa State University, 2009
New units added 2015 - 2030 63.75 4.25 units/year x 15 years
Units lost 2015 - 2030 21.5 Average attrition from demolitions/decade and 0.67% estimated attrition rate
Net new units added 2015 - 2030 42.25 Units added ̶ Units lost
% of new residential units that are age-restricted 4% 2009 - 2015 Midwest average from 2015 Characteristics of New Housing (HUD/Census)
Age-restricted new units 2015 - 2030 2.55 63.75 new units added x 4% age-restricted
Available lots (as of 2017) 12 City of La Porte City data on available lots
Estimated new lots needed to accommodate 30 to Low estimate: Net new units added ̶ Available lots. High estimate: Gross new units added ̶
projected new units by 2030 52 Available lots.
*Metropolitan single-family owner-occupied loss rate; provides a conservative estimate of units lost from housing stock.
New units or
Demand Variable** 2000 2010 Change per decade Average Value or Change 2015 - 2030
households
Average household size 2.43 2.45 0.02 2.49 (average between 2015 and 2030)
Senior population (65 and older) 18.6% 18.3% -0.3 % .6 % (17% - 18% by 2030)
Population change (low estimate) 105 157 (change 2015 - 2030) 43 households***
Population change (high estimate) 187 280 (change 2015 - 2030) 75 households***
**Source: Decennial Census 2000 and 2010, ACS 2016 5-year estimate, INRCOG population projections
***Black Hawk County data from the 2000 and 2010 Decennial Census was used to calculate a trend in the percentage of seniors in nursing homes (5.5% to 4.4%, or a decline of
1.1 percentage points per decade). Based on this trend, the share of seniors who will be in nursing homes between 2015 and 2030 was estimated at 3%. This percentage was
applied to the low-estimate and high-estimate increases in La Porte City’s senior population from 2015 to 2030. These seniors were assumed to be 1-person households. For the
low and high estimates, 11 and 13 seniors, respectively, are assumed to be in nursing homes. These seniors are subtracted from the projected new households.
28According to Table 13, if La Porte City’s current trends in residential and population growth continue
through 2030, the City will have a housing shortfall of between 30 units (low estimate) and 52 units (high
estimate). La Porte City’s projected housing demand and shortfall are shown in more detail in Table 14.
Assuming La Porte City’s homeownership rate remains at 74.0 percent (see Table 4), the City will need
between 41 and 68 owner units and between 14 and 23 rental units to accommodate the new households
expected to be added between 2015 and 2030. This assumes that the rental unit vacancy rate will stay
constant at 5 percent.
Table 14: Projected Housing Demand and Shortfall in La Porte City, 2015 – 2030
Population Estimate Low High
New households added 2015 – 2030 (assuming homeownership rate of Owner 41 68
74.0%) Renter 14 23
Total housing unit demand 2015 – 2030 (new demand + replacement of 21.5 lost
77 113
units)
Housing unit shortfall (projected demand ̶ projected supply) 30 52
Annual building permits needed 2016 - 2030 2 4
New households headed by persons aged 55+** 16 27
*Excluding seniors in nursing homes (low estimate of 11, high estimate of 13)
Source: Decennial Census 2000 and 2010, ACS 2016 5-year estimate, INRCOG population projections, INRCOG
housing supply projections. Sums may not be exact due to rounding.
Between 2013 and 2017, La Porte City issued an average of 4.25 new residential building permits annually
for new construction (Table 13), or only 0.42 percent of the currently available housing stock of 997 units
(according to the 2012-2016 ACS Census data). To meet projected housing demand, including
replacement of units lost from the housing stock, La Porte City must issue an estimated 2 to 4 building
permits annually between 2015 and 2030. La Porte City is currently on track to meet that demand with
4.25 new residential building permits issued per year for the past four years.
La Porte City has a particularly tight market for homes in general, but an even tighter market for “starter
homes”. Most of the homes in the “starter home” range need updating. If the City takes measures to
encourage housing rehabilitation projects, it may be beneficial to the buyers who are looking for move-in
ready moderately priced homes. In addition, expanded rental development would accommodate both
perceived pent-up existing demand and projected future rental demand.
One potential benefit of expanded rental housing stock would be to provide a low-cost alternative to older
homeowners wishing to downsize from their current homes, which, in turn would free up moderately
priced owner units for new buyers. If the share of new households that are headed by persons 65 or older
is proportionate to the population share of persons 65 or older (projected average 17 percent between
2015 and 2030), La Porte City will gain an estimated 16 to 27 households headed by persons in this age
bracket during our projection time-period (Table 14). Reliable projections of demand for age-restricted
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