Iowa Admin. Code r. 481—69 § 481—69.23
Criteria for admission and retention of tenants.
Operative Text
69.23(1) Persons who may not be admitted or retained. A program shall not knowingly admit or retain a tenant who: a. Is bed-bound; or b. Requires routine, two-person assistance with standing, transfer or evacuation; or c. Is dangerous to self or other tenants or staff, including but not limited to a tenant who: (1) Despite intervention, chronically elopes or is sexually, verbally, or physically aggressive or abusive; or (2) Displays behavior that places another tenant at risk; or d. Is in an acute stage of alcoholism, drug addiction, or uncontrolled mental illness; or e. Is under the age of 18; or f. Requires more than part-time or intermittent health-related care; or g. Has unmanageable incontinence on a routine basis despite an individualized toileting program; or h. Is medically unstable; or i. Requires maximal assistance with activities of daily living; or j. Despite intervention, chronically urinates or defecates in places that are not considered acceptable according to societal norms. 69.23(2) Disclosure of additional occupancy and transfer criteria. A program may have additional occupancy or transfer criteria if the criteria are disclosed in the written occupancy agreement prior to the tenant’s occupancy. 69.23(3) Assistance with transfer from the program. A program shall assist a tenant and the tenant’s legal representative, if applicable, to ensure a safe and orderly transfer from the program when the tenant exceeds the program’s criteria for admission and retention.
Iowa Admin. Code r. 481—69 § 481—69.23 establishes the conditions under which a residential program may not admit or keep a tenant, covering situations such as being bed-bound, requiring two-person physical assistance, posing a danger to others, being in an acute stage of substance addiction or uncontrolled mental illness, being under 18, needing more than part-time health care, or being medically unstable. Programs may set additional occupancy or transfer criteria beyond these baseline restrictions, provided those criteria are disclosed in writing before a tenant moves in. When a tenant's needs exceed what the program can accommodate, the program is required to help facilitate a safe and orderly transfer rather than simply removing the tenant without support.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Iowa Admin. Code r. 481—69 § 481—69.23, operators of covered residential programs generally maintain written policies that reflect the admission and retention criteria outlined in the rule, ensuring staff can identify when a prospective or current tenant's needs fall outside the program's scope. If a program wishes to apply criteria beyond those listed in the rule, compliant operators include those additional criteria clearly in the written occupancy agreement before the tenant takes occupancy. When a tenant's condition changes and exceeds the program's criteria, operators typically document the situation and actively assist the tenant and any legal representative in arranging a safe transfer to a more appropriate setting.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Iowa Admin. Code r. 481—69 § 481—69.23 sets out specific conditions that a program may use as grounds for not admitting or for transferring a tenant, and it limits programs to only those additional criteria that were disclosed in writing before move-in. If a program attempts to transfer or remove a tenant based on criteria that were never disclosed in the occupancy agreement, that may be relevant to any complaint or appeal process available through the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing, which oversees these programs. Tenants or their legal representatives facing a transfer are entitled under this rule to the program's assistance in arranging a safe and orderly move, and tenant-rights organizations or legal aid services can help clarify what that obligation means in practice.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 18, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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