(KIWA Staff Photo)Spencer, Iowa (RI) — A new housing study estimates Spencer’s population has fallen by about 100 people since the 2024 flash flooding — a decline far smaller than researchers anticipated.
Researcher Keith Carl, who conducted the study, says only 22% of the 750 vacant housing units he identified are are currently habitable, meaning the remaining units aren’t safe for occupancy.
Carl suggests Spencer could consider adding new housing in older neighborhoods.
More than 2,000 structures in Spencer were damaged during the June 2024 flooding, including 30 homes that collapsed or suffered foundation failures.
