Southwest Iowa Planning Council
Southwest Iowa Planning Council

It takes a strong team to provide the level of service that our region expects, and when you work with SWIPCO, you have a team of dedicated experts in your corner. From community development programs who can craft your ordinances to the housing staff highlighted below, SWIPCO can provide any level of assistance that your community requires.

Our Housing Team

Sandy Hansen, Grants Specialist III

Sandy is the housing grants manager and works to implement our vision: communities where families choose to live and businesses choose to locate, because of their quality of life and standard of living. Sandy oversees preparation of documents as needed to meet funding requirements and ensures compliance with funding source laws and requirements.
   
Sandy - “When I joined the housing team 15 years ago it was me and an inspector.  I worked directly with the homeowners and contractors assisting them with their housing repair needs.  We now have a strong team of 6 and I work directly with our communities to help them maneuver the complexities of federal funding.  It’s been amazing to see our department grow and be able to assist so many people and cities in so many different ways.  I look forward to the new and innovative ways we will continue to help with the everchanging available funding.”

 

Contact: sandy.hansen@swipco.org

 

Ann Anstey, Grants Specialist II

Ann is directly responsible for grant programs and activities within the community development department, with a primary emphasis on housing and direct contact with clients. Ann assists applicants for various housing grant programs and verifies eligibility. 

 

Ann - “I am so proud to work with our entire housing team. Even at the height of the COVID 19 pandemic our projects moved forward without missing a beat. Knowing that we are improving the lives of Southwest Iowans by making their homes more affordable, helping with repair projects, and improving the safety is truly rewarding."

 

Contact: ann.anstey@swipco.org

 

Nicole Rhodes, Grants Specialist II

Nicole oversees the lead paint hazard reduction program, which provides funds for lead paint abatement for families with low to moderate income, especially those with children under the age of six.  

 

Nicole - “I have the opportunity every day to make a difference in the lives of others. The grant programs we oversee in Housing truly assist individuals with improving the quality of their lives in many ways. Whether it’s assisting with a down payment to purchase a new home, making repairs that improve energy efficiency and safety, to removing lead hazards in and around homes to keep children safe and free from lead poisoning, everything we do truly does improve the lives of those we serve.” 

 

Contact: nicole.rhodes@swipco.org

Aaron Koontz, Grants Specialist I

Aaron ensures that the agency and the communities it serves are doing what needs to be done per grant regulations. He helps clients navigate through rules and procedures and complete application paperwork. Aaron is directly responsible for grant programs and activities within the community development department, with a primary emphasis on housing and direct contact with clients. Aaron assists applicants for various housing grant programs and verifies eligibility. 

 

Aaron - “My favorite aspect of this job is knowing that I am doing something to help members of the community and Southwest Iowa. Now that I have a better understanding of the programs SWIPCO has to offer, I know that I am doing my part to make the lives of our applicants better and putting good into the world.”

 

Contact: aaron.koontz@swipco.org

Matthew Lee, Building Inspector II

Matthew is the lead building inspector at SWIPCO. He is involved in all things from building inspections, rehabilitation specifications, and construction supervision. Matthew inspects buildings for Code Enforcement, including existing, new construction, and dangerous or dilapidated structures. He performs full-house inspections for rehabilitation programs and meets with homeowners and determines needs for repair programs.  

 

Matthew - “I feel one of the best aspects of my position is when the rehabilitation project has been completed and the homeowners are excited to have the improvements done. Many homeowners would not be able to make such improvements without this assistance from SWIPCO. There are so many communities surrounding SWIPCO that could use a helping hand. Our Housing team works steadily to make those project possible. We strive to help homeowners with a better quality of living.”

 

Contact: matthew.lee@swipco.org

 

Phil Richter, Building Inspector I

Phil inspects buildings for property maintenance, code compliance, and leads the rental inspection program in multiple cities. He currently has over 1500 rental properties in his portfolio. He also conducts new building code enforcement and inspects dangerous buildings. 

 

Phil - “The best part about my position is that I get to fulfill a need for our member communities, especially the smaller ones, that they otherwise would not be able to meet. Here at SWIPCO we strive to improve our communities and the lives of those living in those communities.”

 

Contact: phil.richter@swipco.org

 

"When we needed help with residential buyouts and new housing development after the [2019] flooding, SWIPCO was there for us every step of the way."

Sheryl Owen, Hamburg City Clerk

SWIPCO is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

 

Southwest Iowa Planning Council, 1501 SW 7th St., Atlantic, Iowa, 50022

712-243-4196 or 1-866-279-4720; Fax 712-243-3458; swipco@swipco.org