The Ames City Council made modified its policies concerning Habitat for Humanity homes and their owners¡ income levels at its meeting on Tuesday.

The council decided the income verification for residents of Habitat for Humanity houses would only be performed at the time of purchase. They said continual evaluation of income might deter families from improving their economic situations.

This was a change in the original agreement between the City of Ames and the Community Land Trust that stated the occupying family¡s income would be periodically checked. The agreement said only a family whose income is not more than 110 percent of the Story County median income can own the home.

Ames would then donate a plot of land located at 24th Street and Hoover Street to the trust, according to the agreement, and the trust would then allow Habitat for Humanity to construct a house at this location.

The council revised the procedure of house transfer in the event of the homeowner¡s death; the new procedure specifies that power would be handed over only to the spouses of the deceased.

The agreement had stated that any sale or transfer of the house title would warrant an income examination of the new owner.

The council noted this could exclude a widowed spouse who received a life insurance payout or some other form of compensation following their spouse¡s death.

I don¡t think that someone who experiences such a traumatic event needs to be told to get out [of their house] on top of it,Œ said Herman Quirmbach, council member and associate professor of economics at Iowa State.

A representative for the Story County Habitat for Humanity said an income examination exemption should be extended to children of the deceased when there is no surviving spouse.

The council also approved the renewal of beer permits and liquor licenses to eleven local businesses. One new business, Cafe Escape, had its application for a liquor license approved.

During the meeting, Mayor Ted Tedesco was wearing a cardinal and red shirt to the meeting in response to a bet he made with the mayor of Iowa City prior to last weekend¡s Iowa¤Iowa State football game. As part of the bet, Iowa City Mayor Ernest Lehman wore the same shirt to his city council meeting on Tuesday night.