Support safe homes, secure neighborhoods

Having grown up in Cedar Rapids, my wife Susan and I both fondly remember the historic Wellington Heights neighborhood - it was a pretty impressive place.

Unfortunately over the last decade, we have watched it deteriorate but revitalization is taking place and it's exciting to see.

In 2008, a group of Cedar Rapids business people gathered to discuss issues facing the city and we learned about a significant problem in Wellington Heights. Homeownership was dropping, home values were dropping and crime was rising at an alarming rate. I'll never forget that day because it was that dreadful afternoon in June when we realized we were in for a major flood.

From 2008 to 2011, this same group of business people focused our housing assistance efforts on helping our neighbors rebuild after the flood. We worked very closely with and supported the Affordable Housing Network (AHNI) with neighborhood flood recovery. In 2011, Jim Ernst and I revisited that Wellington Heights discussion-and how we might address housing needs for children and families - and revitalize Wellington Heights at the same time.

The tremendous success with Block by Block on hundreds of flood-damaged homes helped prepare us for the new mission. As a result, the Wellington Heights initiative became a part of the Four Oaks TotalChild program.

TotalChild is a comprehensive, long-term approach to help 1,400 kids and their families hurdle all obstacles to success. Obstacles encountered within their families and neighborhoods-and at school and work. Obstacles that keep children from receiving their most basic of needs-such as food, clothing and shelter. Our Wellington Heights initiative is only a subset of TotalChild work, but ensuring children have stable housing is a very important subset.

We've had a lot of housing partners along the way who also feel it's important to provide our children with safe homes and secure neighborhoods. The city has helped by strengthening the landlord tenant laws. The churches have come to the aid of families; our community partners like Habitat for Humanity by working on over 20 homes in the neighborhood with more to come.

With the help of our partners, donors and volunteers, AHNI has purchased 83 structures in an 18-block area of Wellington Heights. Our intent is to rehab multifamily homes back to single-family homes wherever feasible. We've already rehabbed 48 properties. Our goal is 100 homes.

I applaud Four Oaks and AHNI for investing in Cedar Rapids' children by investing in this neighborhood. It's going to take a lot of time, people, money and work to rebuild the neighborhood and help the children. We have seen progress over the last couple of years, but we need your support now to continue the work.

l Kyle Skogman is President of the Skogman Companies and Co-Chair of the TotalChild Campaign. Contact: kskogman@skogman.com