reglab/housing_qa huggingface dataset:
IA Code § 358C.4 (2021)
2021 Iowa Code|Title IX - LOCAL GOVERNMENT|Chapter 358C - REAL ESTATE IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS|Section 358C.4 - Public improvements authorized.

358C.4 Public improvements authorized.   1. A district may acquire, construct, reconstruct, install, maintain, and repair any of the public improvements listed in subsection 2.   2. A public improvement includes the principal structures, works, component parts, and accessories of any of the following:   a. Underground gas, water, heating, sewer, telecommunications, and electrical connections located in streets for private property.   b. Sanitary, storm, and combined sewers.   c. Waterworks, water mains, and extensions.   d. Emergency warning systems.   e. Pedestrian underpasses or overpasses.   f. Drainage conduits, dikes, and levees for flood protection.   g. Public waterways, docks, and wharfs.   h. Public parks, playgrounds, and recreational facilities.   i. Clearing, stripping, grubbing, earthwork, erosion control, lot grading, street grading, paving, graveling, macadamizing, curbing, guttering, and surfacing with oil and gravel or chloride.   j. Street lighting fixtures, connections, and facilities.   k. Sewage pumping stations.   l. Traffic control devices, fixtures, connections, and facilities.   m. Public roads, streets, and alleys.  95 Acts, ch 200, §4; 96 Acts, ch 1204, §3  Referred to in §358C.1, 358C.3, 358C.12, 358C.13, 358C.16, 358C.17
IA Code § 358C.6 (2021)
2021 Iowa Code|Title IX - LOCAL GOVERNMENT|Chapter 358C - REAL ESTATE IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS|Section 358C.6 - Hearing of petition and order.

358C.6 Hearing of petition and order.   The board of supervisors to whom the petition is addressed shall preside at the hearing provided for in section 358C.5 and shall continue the hearing in session, with adjournments from day to day, if necessary, until completed, without being required to give any further notice of the hearing. Proof of the residences and qualifications of the petitioners as registered voters shall be made by affidavit or otherwise as the board may direct. The board may consider the boundaries of a proposed district, whether the boundaries are described in the petition or otherwise, and for that purpose may alter and amend the petition and limit or change the boundaries of the proposed district as stated in the petition. The board shall adjust the boundaries of a proposed district as needed to exclude land that has no reasonable likelihood of benefit from inclusion in the proposed district. The boundaries of a proposed district shall not be changed to incorporate property not included in the original petition and published notice until the owner of the property is given notice of inclusion as on the original hearing. All persons in the proposed district shall have an opportunity to be heard regarding the location and boundaries of the proposed district and to make suggestions regarding the location and boundaries, and the board of supervisors, after hearing the statements, evidence, and suggestions made and offered at the hearing, shall approve or reject the petition. If the petition is approved, the board shall enter an order fixing and determining the limits and boundaries of the proposed district and whether or not all present and future property owners within the district have waived any objections to the annexation by a city if the district has issued obligations or bonds for public improvement and the city assumes those obligations, and, if the petition was requested under section 358C.3, subsection 1, directing that an election be held for the purpose of submitting to the registered voters owning land within the boundaries of the proposed district the question of organization and establishment of the proposed district as determined by the board of supervisors. The order shall fix a date for the election not more than sixty days after the date of the order. If the petition was requested under section 358C.3, subsection 2, the order shall fix a date for the organization of the district.  95 Acts, ch 200, §6  Referred to in §358C.9
IA Code § 358C.7 (2021)
2021 Iowa Code|Title IX - LOCAL GOVERNMENT|Chapter 358C - REAL ESTATE IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS|Section 358C.7 - Notice of election.

358C.7 Notice of election.   In its order for the election the board of supervisors shall direct the county commissioner of elections of the county in which the petition is filed to cause notice of the election to be given at least thirty days before the date of election by publication of the notice as provided in section 331.305. The notice shall state the time and place of holding the election and the hours when the polls will open and close, the purpose of the election, with the name of the proposed district and a description of the boundaries of the proposed district, and shall set forth briefly the limits of each voting precinct and the location of the polling places. Proof of publication shall be made in the manner provided in section 358C.5 and filed with the county auditor.  95 Acts, ch 200, §7  Referred to in §358C.13
IA Code § 358C.8 (2021)
2021 Iowa Code|Title IX - LOCAL GOVERNMENT|Chapter 358C - REAL ESTATE IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS|Section 358C.8 - Election.

358C.8 Election.   1. Each registered voter resident within the proposed district shall have the right to cast a ballot at the election and a person shall not vote in any precinct but that of the person’s residence. Ballots at the election shall be in substantially the following form, to wit:  For Real Estate Improvement District ☐  Against Real Estate Improvement District ☐   2. The board of supervisors shall cause a statement of the result of the election to be included in the records of the county auditor. If a majority of the votes cast upon the question of incorporation of the proposed district shall be in favor of the proposed district, the proposed district shall be deemed an organized real estate improvement district under this chapter and established as conducive to the public health, comfort, convenience, and welfare.   3. In the event the petition and order provide that any present or future owner of property within the district waives objection to annexation if the district has issued obligations or bonds for a public improvement and the annexing city assumes those obligations, the board of supervisors shall file a certified declaration of that provision and a legal description of all real estate in the district with the county recorder in each county in which the district is located.  95 Acts, ch 200, §8
IA Code § 358C.9 (2021)
2021 Iowa Code|Title IX - LOCAL GOVERNMENT|Chapter 358C - REAL ESTATE IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS|Section 358C.9 - Expenses and costs of election.

358C.9 Expenses and costs of election.   The election held pursuant to this chapter shall be conducted by the county commissioner of elections. All expenses incurred in carrying out sections 358C.5 and 358C.6, and the costs of the election, as determined by the county commissioner of elections, shall be paid by those who will be benefited by the proposed district. If the district is not established, the expenses and costs shall be collected upon the bonds of the petitioners.  95 Acts, ch 200, §9; 2009 Acts, ch 133, §129
IA Code § 358C.10 (2021)
2021 Iowa Code|Title IX - LOCAL GOVERNMENT|Chapter 358C - REAL ESTATE IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS|Section 358C.10 - Selection of trustees — term of office.

358C.10 Selection of trustees — term of office.   1. The board of supervisors or city council which had jurisdiction of the proceedings for establishment of the district, together with the board of supervisors of any other county in which any part of the district is located, shall appoint three trustees from among those persons listed in the petition. The trustees shall serve an initial two-year term.   2. Vacancies in the office of trustee of a district shall be filled by the remaining members of the board for the period until a successor is chosen in the manner prescribed by this section or by section 69.12, whichever is applicable.   3. Successors to trustees shall be elected at a special meeting of the board of trustees called for that purpose. Upon its own motion, the board of trustees may, or upon petition of landowners owning more than fifty percent of the total land in the district, shall, call a special meeting of the residents of the district to elect successors to trustees of the board. Notice of the meeting shall be given at least ten days before the date of the meeting by publication of the notice in a newspaper of general circulation in the district. The notice shall state the date, times, and location of the meeting and that the meeting is called for the purpose of electing one or more trustees to the board.   4. A candidate to fill a vacancy or as a successor trustee shall disclose prior to selection as a trustee whether the person has any financial interest in any business which is or may be a developer or contractor for public improvements within the real estate improvement district and the extent of the person’s land ownership in the district, if any.  95 Acts, ch 200, §10; 96 Acts, ch 1204, §4
IA Code § 358C.11 (2021)
2021 Iowa Code|Title IX - LOCAL GOVERNMENT|Chapter 358C - REAL ESTATE IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS|Section 358C.11 - Trustee’s bond.

358C.11 Trustee’s bond.   Each trustee, before entering upon the duties of office, shall execute a bond payable to the district, with security to be approved by the board of supervisors which had jurisdiction of the petition for establishment of the district, in such form and amount as the board of supervisors may determine, which bond shall be filed with the county auditor of the county.  95 Acts, ch 200, §11
IA Code § 358C.12 (2021)
2021 Iowa Code|Title IX - LOCAL GOVERNMENT|Chapter 358C - REAL ESTATE IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS|Section 358C.12 - Real estate improvement district to be a body corporate — eminent domain.

358C.12 Real estate improvement district to be a body corporate — eminent domain.   1. Each district organized under this chapter shall be a body corporate and politic, with the name and style under which it was organized, and by that name and style may sue and be sued, contract and be contracted with, acquire and hold real and personal property necessary for corporate purposes, adopt a corporate seal and alter the same at pleasure, and exercise all the powers conferred in this chapter.   2. All courts of this state shall take judicial notice of the existence of real estate improvement districts organized under this chapter.   3. A district shall not own or hold land in excess of ten acres unless the land is actually used for a public purpose within three years of its acquisition. A district which owns or holds land in excess of ten acres for more than three years without devoting it to a public purpose as provided in this chapter shall divest itself of the land by public auction to the highest bidder.   4. A district may acquire by purchase, condemnation, or gift, real or personal property, right-of-way, and easement within or without its corporate limits necessary for its corporate purposes specified in section 358C.4.   5. If the board of trustees of the district decide to make a public improvement pursuant to this chapter which requires that private property be taken or damaged, the board may exercise the power of eminent domain. The procedure to condemn property shall be exercised in the manner provided in chapter 6B.   6. A district shall comply with all city building and use codes for owner-occupied residential housing and shall comply with all city design and construction standards for the public improvements authorized in section 358C.4.   7. A district shall not incorporate as a city if all or the major part of the district is within two miles of the boundaries of a city at the time the district is approved.   8. The provisions of chapters 21 and 22 applicable to cities, counties, and school districts apply to the district. The records of the district are subject to audit pursuant to section 11.6.  95 Acts, ch 200, §12
IA Code § 358C.13 (2021)
2021 Iowa Code|Title IX - LOCAL GOVERNMENT|Chapter 358C - REAL ESTATE IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS|Section 358C.13 - Board of trustees — powers — prohibited actions.

358C.13 Board of trustees — powers — prohibited actions.   1. The board of trustees is the corporate authority of the district and shall manage and control the affairs and property of the district. A majority of the board of trustees shall constitute a quorum, but a smaller number may adjourn from day to day. The board of trustees shall elect a president, a clerk, and a treasurer from its membership.   2. The board of trustees shall maintain the official records of the district, which shall include information regarding the service of any indebtedness of the district, including special assessment bonds. The board shall report annually on the progress of the district in retiring indebtedness.   3. The board of trustees may adopt the necessary ordinances, resolutions, and regulations for the proper management and conduct of the business of the board of trustees and the corporation and for carrying out the purposes for which the district is formed, including for the negotiation of short-term loans and the issuance of warrants.   4. The board of trustees shall provide public notice prior to each meeting of the board. The notice shall contain the agenda of the meeting which shall describe the proposed actions to be taken by the board at the meeting.   5. If the board of trustees wishes to expand its authority to carry out public improvements in addition to the public improvements listed in the board’s original petition as provided in section 358C.4, the board shall submit a petition to the board of supervisors specifying the additional public improvements to be included within the authority of the district and requesting that the board of supervisors order an election as provided in section 358C.7 to approve or disapprove the amendment. If the petition includes public improvements as specified in section 358C.4, the board of supervisors shall order the election to be conducted as otherwise provided in this chapter. If the amendment is approved, the original petition is amended to include the additional public improvements.   6. The board of trustees of a district shall not purchase and resell electric service or establish and operate a gasworks or electric light and power plant and system.   7. The board of trustees shall not require or grant a franchise to any person pursuant to section 364.2, subsection 4.   8. The board of trustees shall not prohibit or restrict the construction of manufactured homes in a real estate improvement district. As used in this subsection, “manufactured home” has the same meaning as under section 435.1, subsection 3.   9. The board of trustees shall not enter into a contract for public improvements or other services with a board member or with any person owning more than twenty-five percent of the land of a real estate improvement district except as a result of competitive bidding.  95 Acts, ch 200, §13; 96 Acts, ch 1034, §32; 96 Acts, ch 1204, §5
IA Code § 358C.14 (2021)
2021 Iowa Code|Title IX - LOCAL GOVERNMENT|Chapter 358C - REAL ESTATE IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS|Section 358C.14 - Taxes — power to levy — tax sales.

358C.14 Taxes — power to levy — tax sales.   1. The board of trustees of a real estate improvement district shall have the power by ordinance to levy annually for the purpose of paying the administrative costs of the district, or for the payment of deficiencies in special assessments, or for both, a tax upon property within the territorial limits of the district not exceeding fifty-four cents per thousand dollars of the adjusted taxable valuation of the property within the district for the preceding fiscal year.   2. All taxes thus levied by the board shall be certified by the clerk on or before March 1 to the county auditor of each county in which any of the property included within the territorial limits of the district is located, and shall be placed upon the tax list for the current fiscal year by the auditor. The county treasurer of more than one county shall collect all taxes so levied in the same manner as other taxes, and when delinquent the taxes shall draw the same interest. All taxes levied and collected shall be paid over by the officer collecting the taxes to the treasurer of the district.   3. Sales for delinquent taxes owing to the district shall be made at the same time and in the same manner as the sales are made for other taxes, and all provisions of the law of this state relating to the sale of property for delinquent taxes shall be applicable, so far as may be, to the sales.  95 Acts, ch 200, §14
IA Code § 358C.15 (2021)
2021 Iowa Code|Title IX - LOCAL GOVERNMENT|Chapter 358C - REAL ESTATE IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS|Section 358C.15 - Rentals and charges.

358C.15 Rentals and charges.   1. A board of trustees may by ordinance establish equitable rates, charges, or rentals for the utilities and services furnished by the district to be paid to the district by every person, firm, or corporation whose premises are served by a connection to the utilities and services directly or indirectly. The rates, charges, or rentals, as near as may be in the judgment of the board of trustees, shall be equitable and in proportion to the services rendered and the cost of the services, and taking into consideration in the case of the premises the quantity of sewage or water produced or used and the concentration, strength, and pollution qualities of the sewage. The board of trustees may change the rates, charges, or rentals as it may deem advisable, and by ordinance may provide for collection. The board may contract with any municipality within the district, whereby the municipality may collect or assist in collecting any of the rates, charges, or rentals, whether in conjunction with water rentals or otherwise, and the municipality may undertake the collection and render the service. The rates, charges, or rentals, if not paid when due, shall constitute a lien upon the real property served by a connection. The lien shall have equal precedence with ordinary taxes, may be certified to the county treasurer and collected in the same manner as taxes, and is not divested by a judicial sale.   2. Sewer rentals, charges, or rates may supplant or replace, in whole or in part, any monetary levy of taxes which may be, or have been, authorized by the board of trustees for any of the following purposes:   a. To meet interest and principal payments on bonds legally authorized for the financing of sanitary utilities in any manner.   b. To pay costs of the construction, maintenance, or repair of the facilities or utilities, including payments to be made under any contract between municipalities for either the joint use of water or sewage facilities, or for the use by one municipality of all or a part of the water or sewer system of another municipality.  95 Acts, ch 200, §15
IA Code § 358C.16 (2021)
2021 Iowa Code|Title IX - LOCAL GOVERNMENT|Chapter 358C - REAL ESTATE IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS|Section 358C.16 - Debt limit — borrowing — bonds — purposes.

358C.16 Debt limit — borrowing — bonds — purposes.   1. A district may borrow money for its corporate purposes, but shall not become indebted in any manner or for any purpose to an amount in the aggregate exceeding its constitutional debt limit of five percent on the value of the taxable property within the district, to be ascertained by the last state and county tax lists previous to the incurring of the indebtedness. Indebtedness within this constitutional limit shall not include the indebtedness of any other municipal corporation located wholly or partly within the boundaries of the district, special assessment bonds or obligations authorized under section 358C.17.   2. Subject only to this debt limitation, a district shall have the same powers to issue bonds, including both general obligation and revenue bonds, including the power to enter into short-term loans and issue warrants, which cities have under the laws of this state. In the application of the laws to this chapter, the words used in the laws referring to municipal corporations or to cities shall be held to include real estate improvement districts organized under this chapter; the words “council” or “city council” shall be held to include the board of trustees of a district; the words “mayor” and “clerk” shall be held to include the president and clerk of a board of trustees; and like construction shall be given to any other words in the laws where required to permit the exercise of the powers by real estate improvement districts.   3. All bonds issued shall be signed by the president of the board of trustees and attested by the clerk, with the seal of the district, if any, affixed, and interest coupons attached to the bonds shall be attested by the signature of the clerk.   4. The proceeds of any bond issue made under this section shall be used only for the cost of public improvements as specified in sections 358C.1 and 358C.4. Proceeds from the bond issue may also be used for the payment of special assessment deficiencies. The bonds shall be payable in not more than forty annual installments and with interest at a rate not exceeding that permitted by chapter 74A, and shall be made payable at the place and be of the form as the board of trustees shall by resolution designate. A district issuing bonds as authorized in this section is granted authority to pledge the future avails of a tax levy to the payment of the principal and interest of the bonds after the same come due, and the power to impose and certify the levy is granted to the trustees of real estate improvement districts organized under this chapter.  95 Acts, ch 200, §16; 96 Acts, ch 1204, §6
IA Code § 358C.18 (2021)
2021 Iowa Code|Title IX - LOCAL GOVERNMENT|Chapter 358C - REAL ESTATE IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS|Section 358C.18 - Additional territory.

358C.18 Additional territory.   1. The district may be enlarged and additional territory annexed to the district by either of the following methods:   a. By petitions signed by the owners of all the property to be annexed to the district. If a petition requesting annexation is presented to the trustees and approved by the trustees the change in the boundaries to include the additional area shall be certified by the clerk of the district to the county auditor in which the greater portion of the district is located and thereafter the district shall include the area thus annexed.   b. By a petition filed with the clerk of the district, signed by persons owning not less than fifty percent of the area to be annexed, but not signed by persons owning all the area requested to be annexed. On the filing of the petition, the trustees of the district shall fix a time and place for a hearing on the petition and give notice of the hearing, as provided in section 331.305, and by certified mail to the record owners of all persons owning land within the territory sought to be annexed, not less than ten days prior to the date of the hearing, if the address of the owners is known or can be ascertained by reasonable diligence by the trustees. At the hearing, any person owning property within the area proposed to be annexed or any person owning property or residing within the district may appear and be heard. If, after the hearing, the board of trustees determines that annexation of the additional area will be conducive to the public health, convenience, and welfare and will not be an undue burden on the district, the board of trustees may, by resolution, annex the additional area and fix the boundary which shall not include more than the area requested in the petition. A copy of the resolution shall be filed with the county auditor of the county in which the largest portion of the district is located and thereafter the area included by the resolution shall be a part of the district.   2. All property, from and after it is annexed to the district, shall be subject to all taxes and other burdens levied by the district, regardless of when the obligation for which the taxes or assessments are levied was incurred.  95 Acts, ch 200, §18