Des Moines, IA (Radio Iowa)– The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services is planning to sell some of its land at all five of its state-owned facilities in the mental health institution in Cherokee.

Director Kelly Garcia says one reason the department wants to sell land at the Northwest Iowa facility is to help address the housing crisis in the area.

Like many Iowa communities, affordable housing is at a premium in the area and these parcels of land should bring both a good price and create new places to build.

The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services will host a town hall meeting in Cherokee on Wednesday about the sale. Land surveys are already complete, and the properties should be on the market soon.