Meet Open Source Rural Housing Innovation, LLC
Open Source Rural Housing Innovation, LLC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Community Foundation of Greater Muscatine.
Community Foundation of Greater Muscatine is accredited through the Council of Foundations, and is a 501c3.
Our Story
When you have a supply-side housing failure in your community, unaffordable or unattainable housing has a cascading effect on the economics, education, and health of our neighbors and children.
Muscatine County, IA, which has 42,000 residents, has significant housing pressures, and builders often overlook counties of our size.
Rural communities can’t effectively solve complex problems in silos.
A successful cohort of partners, the Community Foundation of Greater Muscatine, Muscatine Community College, Iowa State University, Hagerty Earthworks, and Pearl City Wood Products, was identified and recruited to evaluate and pilot innovative, cost-saving housing development solutions and share what we find. Unfurling success for rural communities across the nation.
What We Value
Community Foundations as they evolve should serve their communities as a catalyst for change, convening and collaborating to address their community’s biggest opportunities.
We have very little unrestricted funding, so we work feverishly to be innovative on capital stacking mechanisms that will lead us to success in our foundational work, re-imagining housing development.
We are not tethered to shareholders demanding returns, just committed to our community’s children imagining a different life that includes affordable, attainable housing.
Housing affects graduation rates, behavioral issues, and mental and physical health for our children.
That lead us to measure our work in minutes rather than years.
Trustees
The best and the brightest serve as our Trustees
Team
The people make the tangible, game-changing difference.
President & CEO, Community Foundation of Greater Muscatine and Open Source Rural Housing Innovation, LLC
Charla Schafer
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In her role, Schafer focuses on affecting place-based change, driving durable, system-level innovation and community development through collaborative investment and cross-sector engagement. Her leadership bridges immediate needs with long-term, structural solutions.
She previously served as the Executive Director of Muscatine Center for Social Action, a housing stability agency that offers permanent-supportive housing, homeless housing and prevention services, domestic violence sheltering, and related health and educational services. Before transitioning to community development, she spent her career in various leadership roles in the banking industry.
Schafer serves on the Iowa Council of Foundations Board, Prevention and Research Center for Rural Health State Advisory Board, RUFRI Center Rural Housing Panel, University of Iowa Business Leadership Council, and has been a featured presenter on Housing at the Iowa Finance Authority’ State Housing Conference and NAHRO State Housing Conference. Schafer is a 2022 recipient of the Iowa Public Health Heroes Award, 2024 National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO) Iowa R. Jack Paetz Award.
Chief Housing Officer, Open Source Rural Housing Innovation, LLC
Ron Monahan
Monahan spent his career in leadership roles in the financial industry, including serving as Vice President of Commercial Lending which encompassed a $25 million dollar portfolio with a mix of commercial and residential (single and multi-family) properties. Ron has also served as a Senior Credit Officer. His work in both roles included collateral analysis and application and compliance with USDA and historical tax credit financing programs.
Monahan serves in various leadership roles including a local non-profit housing stability agency supporting budgeting, staff management, and strategic direction.
Monahan has a Bachelor of Arts in Business with a Minor in Economics.
President, Muscatine Community College
Dr. Naomi DeWinter
Dr. Naomi DeWinter, EdD also serves as Vice Chancellor for Student Development at Eastern Iowa Community Colleges (EICC).
Dr. DeWinter spearheaded a major transformative initiative at MCC, desiging and planning a state-of-art $10 million Career & Technical Education facility, which includes a focus on construction and additive manufacturing and on-site testing labratory.
With a doctorate in Community College Leadership, Dr. DeWinter takes an intersectional, student-centered approach to solving community-wide challenges—engaging staff and students in responding to pressing local needs and workforce development strategies.
An active leader, she serves on several boards—including the the Iowa Economic Development Authority Energy Center, National Board for the Doctorate of Community College Leadership at Ferris State University, LULAC, and Rotary International—and is a recipient of the Shirley B. Gordon Award of Distinction.
Co-Director of the Computation + Construction Lab, Iowa State University
Pete Evans
Pete Evans, AIA, IDSA is an Assistant Professor of Industrial Design at Iowa State University and co-director of the Computation + Construction Lab, where he leads cutting-edge research at the intersection of digital fabrication, architecture, and rural housing innovation. A licensed architect and experienced educator, Pete holds a B.Arch, an HCI certificate, and a Master of Industrial Design from ISU.
Pete oversees a partnership with the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) focused on accelerating affordable housing through emerging technologies, including 3D construction printing, cast-in-place methods, and digital modeling. He leads design, prototyping, and applied research for pilot homes being constructed across Iowa using these advanced systems. His work combines field-deployable technologies with open-source innovation to reduce cost, improve speed, and expand access to resilient rural housing.
Founder & President, Hagerty Earthworks
John Hagerty
John M. Hagerty is the founder of Hagerty Earthworks, LLC, a Muscatine-based sustainable construction company launched in 2007. A graduate of Iowa State University with a B.S. in Agricultural Systems, Hagerty leads a team focused on construction, civil and utility projects that support urban renewal in rural and micropolitan communities. Under his leadership, Hagerty Earthworks secured major municipal contracts—including a $6 million project—leveraging efficient, eco‑conscious practices and advanced equipment to deliver resilient infrastructure with energy-efficient material use. His firm is actively engaged in home building utilizing innovation technologies and additive manufacturing, managing site development, utility installation, and grading with a focus on energy efficiency and long-term resilience, lowering the short term and long term costs of housing for the end consumer.
Hagerty Earthworks is licensed in the State of Iowa for contracting, plumbing, and mechanical systems. The company is known for delivering scalable infrastructure solutions and environmentally conscious methods tailored to both public-sector and private-sector needs.
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Founder & President, Pearl City Wood Products and Muscatine County Supervisor
Jeff Sorensen
Jeff Sorensen serves as a Muscatine County Supervisor representing District 5 and is the owner of Pearl City Wood Products, a Muscatine-based company specializing in high-quality architectural millwork, custom cabinetry, and commercial woodwork solutions. Prior to founding Pearl City,
Jeff gained extensive experience in industrial operations and project management in senior roles at Bandag and Allsteel, Inc, which informs his strategic leadership style. Under his direction, the company has integrated cutting-edge automation—including advanced finishing systems that cut production time significantly—positioning it as a nimble, innovative supplier for regional contractors, hospitals, schools, and commercial clients. Pearl City Wood Products has been an integral partner to Wiki system development.
Jeff also has served as a housing developer, developing a local 60 unit housing addition.
Community Development Director, City of Muscatine
Jodi Royal-Goodwin
Jodi Royal‑Goodwin is the Director of Community Development for the City of Muscatine, overseeing zoning, building permits, housing inspections, HUD voucher and FSS programs, and management of 150 public housing units. Since joining Muscatine in 2019, she has also coordinated major initiatives such as the $2.3 million Mulberry Neighborhood Revitalization—a CDBG-funded pilot program for low‑income housing rehab, demolition of nuisance properties, infrastructure upgrades, façade improvements.
Before her return home in 2015, Royal‑Goodwin served as Reno, Nevada’s Housing & Community Reinvestment Manager, administering $6 million annually in HUD funding for community planning and special needs programs. In Muscatine, she has led efforts to revitalize the city under Iowa’s “Thriving Community” designation—boosting access to Workforce Housing Tax Credits and enhancing Muscatine’s appeal to developers.
An Army veteran with master’s degrees in Urban Planning and Social Work, she is the President‑Elect of NAHRO Iowa, and chairs the Muscatine County Veterans Affairs Commission. Royal‑Goodwin is recognized for her expertise in aligning policy, capital, and community engagement to build equitable housing opportunities.
Founder & President, Horizon Architecture
Michael Nolan
Nolan has his Master of Architecture from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and B.S. Aeronautical Engineering from the United States Air Force Academy. He has a host of certifications: AIA, NCARB, LEED AP, CPHC
Nolan is a native of West Virginia and an Air Force Veteran. He served for over ten years as a pilot in both the F-16 and T-38 in assignments across the globe including combat missions as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Prior to founding Horizon Architecture, Nolan practiced architecture in a variety of firms gaining extensive experience in a broad variety of projects hands on experience as co-owner of a residential design-build firm.
Nolan founded Horizon Architecture to continue his mission of bringing thoughtful design and an unparalleled experience to his clients.