Wells Fargo invests $1.5 million with Habitat for Humanity to scale innovative home construction in rural communities
DES MOINES, Iowa, Aug. 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Wells Fargo announced today at the Iowa State Fair that it is making a $1.5 million investment to Habitat for Humanity to focus on innovative and affordable housing options in towns and rural communities across the country.
"Housing affordability is a growing challenge in Iowa and across the country," said Jason Rosenberg, head of Public Affairs at Wells Fargo. "Through our partnership with Habitat for Humanity, we're advancing growth-focused solutions so communities across the nation, greater Des Moines and rural Iowa can continue to thrive."
As the nation faces a severe housing shortage, many families are struggling to stay in communities where they have established roots. Through this initiative, Habitat will advance alternative housing solutions, such as modular construction, an off-site building technique where pieces of the home are built in a factory and then transported to a permanent foundation.
One of the key advantages of modular construction is its efficiency, helping Habitat expand access to affordable homeownership by reducing build timelines and easing project logistics for local Habitat affiliates, particularly in areas where volunteer and contractor availability is limited. Modular homes meet or exceed local and state building codes, ensuring quality, safety and durability.
From this investment, $1 million will go to Habitat for Humanity International to advance housing innovation, including modular construction. Wells Fargo is providing Greater Des Moines Habitat for Humanity with $500,000 in funding to expand affordable housing solutions in towns and rural communities in central Iowa, such as Perry and Indianola.
"Along with our traditional home building model, modular homes are an added solution to the housing affordability crisis," said J. Edwin Hensley, director, U.S. construction at Habitat for Humanity International. "This is a national push. With the support of Wells Fargo, we have the opportunity to prove this can work in rural, suburban and urban communities."
Beyond this investment, Wells Fargo employees volunteered with Greater Des Moines Habitat for Humanity at the state fair to build wheelchair ramps for local homeowners. The most affordable home is the one a person already lives in, and this project will highlight the importance of people being able to age in place or live with a disability, keeping them in a home where they feel physically safe and financially secure.
"Homeownership creates stability for families and strengthens communities," said Lance Henning, CEO of Greater Des Moines Habitat for Humanity. "For far too many Iowans, homeownership feels out of reach. Everyone should be able to afford to live in the community where they work and where their kids go to school. This investment from Wells Fargo will help support new affordable homeownership opportunities right here in Iowa and all across the country."
Wells Fargo aligns with community leaders who highlight how housing shortages are not only affecting individual households but the economic growth of the entire community.
"This generous investment to Habitat for Humanity will make a real difference for families in rural communities like Indianola and Perry. In smaller towns, every new home means another family can put down roots, build a future, and contribute to the community they love and call home," said Congresswoman Ashley Hinson. "I'm grateful to Wells Fargo for investing in stronger communities and more opportunities for Iowa families. I'll keep working across the aisle to make the American Dream of home ownership attainable again."
For more than 30 years, Habitat for Humanity International and Wells Fargo have worked together to increase housing affordability and help build more prosperous communities around the world. Since 2015, Wells Fargo & Company and the Wells Fargo Foundation have donated more than $105 million to Habitat for Humanity International and local affiliates in support of affordable and sustainable housing, including support for new home construction and repairs, helping older adults age in their homes, and neighborhood revitalization and disaster response efforts.
About Habitat for Humanity
Habitat for Humanity is a movement of people in your local area and around the world, working together to build more prosperous and vibrant communities by making sure everyone has a safe, affordable place to call home. Since our founding in 1976 as a Christian organization, together we have helped more than 65 million people globally build their futures on their own terms through access to decent housing. We've done that by working alongside people of all walks of life to build, repair and finance their homes, by innovating new ways of building and financing, and by advocating for policies that make constructing and accessing housing easier for everyone. Together, we build homes, communities and hope. To learn more, visit habitat.org
SOURCE Habitat for Humanity International
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