The Student-Built House Program in Kalona began just over one year ago with the goal of getting youth involvement in the trade. After completing the renovation of a home in 2022, and with the help of a $50,000 grant from the Washington County Riverboat Foundation, project number two is already underway.

Students, along with the assistance of the Homebuilders Association of Washington and Johnson Counties, local contractors, and trade professionals, are constructing a duplex at 313/315 C Avenue in Kalona. With the foundation laid in May, construction commenced last week. Last year, they renovated and flipped a decades-old, two-story house which has since been moved into by a moderate income family.

City Administrator for Kalona, Ryan Schlabaugh, expressed his appreciation for the Riverboat Foundation grant, and tells KCII his goal for the future of the program. “We were so very fortunate to receive funding from the Riverboat Foundation. Our goal is to use student involvement and our local professionals to engage our youth in the trades. The end result is to sell those units so that we can make a sustainable project. Their fiscal buy-in at $50,000 makes it so we can hopefully do project three.”

Entering its second year, the program has seen student involvement from Mid-Prairie, Highland, Lone Tree, Durant, Solon, and even Cedar Rapids.