DES MOINES, IOWA – On Wednesday, November 6, 2024, Iowa Workforce Development (IWD) staff joined several local officials for a ceremony commemorating Jackson County’s new designation as a Home Base Iowa Community.
As part of Home Base Iowa, Veterans and their families who move to Jackson County will receive both employment and housing incentives to support their success. Jackson County will now be joining the more than 125 cities and counties in Iowa who have chosen to welcome Veterans by becoming a Home Base Iowa community.
Home Base Iowa designates qualified communities as centers of opportunity for military veterans based on the following standards:
- Community develops its own incentive package for veterans,
- Community prominently displays HBI Community designation, and
- Community must obtain a resolution of support from the appropriate local governing body.
Home Base Iowa Program Manager Harrison Swift is happy to report that Jackson County has met the requirements in every area, and will be offering both a home purchase incentive ($1,000) and employment incentive ($250).
“Jackson County’s commitment to becoming an HBI community sends a public statement that the Iowans here value the character and mission-focused determination that Veterans can offer local businesses,” said Home Base Iowa Program Manager Harrison Swift. “We hope that Jackson County’s leadership helps inspire more communities across our state to take this step and gain an advantage in meeting their workforce needs.”
Home Base Iowa is a one-of-a-kind program designed to connect Veterans, their families, and transitioning service members with businesses across the state who have expressed an interest in supporting the careers of those who have left military service. Businesses and communities can work with Home Base Iowa to find Veteran talent or search for Veteran job seekers who upload their resumes to the state’s Veterans Jobs Portal. In addition to roughly 125 communities statewide, the program also partners with 29 colleges and universities to offer unique opportunities to Veteran students such as Veterans only resource centers and special tuition rates for Veterans and their families.
Iowa offers many incentives to Veterans and transitioning service members, including no state taxes on military pension and veteran hiring preference, which allows Veteran preferential treatment in hiring decisions, along with homebuying assistance programs.