116 3rd St SE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
Linn County, Cedar Rapids to jointly fund new homeless systems manager position
Position, for up to 3 years, is to look ‘holistically’ at homeless infrastructure
CEDAR RAPIDS — Linn County and the city of Cedar Rapids are looking to jointly fund a homeless systems manager, for up to three years, who will collaborate with local providers to streamline gaps in serving the growing population of people experiencing homelessness.
Based on one of the recommendations from the Washington, D.C.-based National Alliance to End Homelessness, which the city enlisted to assess local systems this summer, this manager would not provide social services but instead would look to improve the overall network of supports for the unhoused population.
Supervisor Ben Rogers said the applicant hired for this role would review local homeless infrastructures, monitor grant opportunities, identify gaps and streamline how a homeless individual gets identified for services and the appropriate agency to provide the services. Cedar Rapids and Linn County officials have estimated this position could require up to $150,000 a year in salary, benefits and other administrative expenses.
Cedar Rapids City Manager Jeff Pomeranz said the city’s share is being covered in the housing services budget for fiscal 2024, the budget year that ends June 30, so there would be no new City Council action needed to fund the role.
When approved by the three-member county Board of Supervisors — slated for a vote Wednesday — Linn County will contribute $75,000 a year for up to three years, a total of $225,000, from remaining federal American Rescue Plan Act funds.
“This is more about systems — getting people into the right program at the right place with the right dollars,” Rogers said. “ … This is looking holistically at how to create and unify systems.”
The city and Linn County would work to create a local oversight board, as recommended by the National Alliance, which will help establish key performance indicators and priority initiatives. The person hired to be the homeless systems manager would be housed at the East Central Iowa Council of Governments in the Housing Trust Fund for Linn County division.
Once established, the local oversight board would create milestones, deadlines and expectations and review the manager’s performance. ECICOG would provide space and access to a computer, printer and technology for the manager. Meanwhile, the manager would work with community nonprofits that give direct services and support to those at risk of or experiencing homelessness.
Linn County and Cedar Rapids are working to reduce the number of on-the-street homeless people and those at risk of becoming homeless. The two entities partner to fund the cold weather overflow shelter owned by Linn County, which is slated to open in November. At this year’s annual summer point in time count, volunteers from homeless service organizations found a record 123 people living on the streets in Linn County.
The National Alliance to End Homelessness met in June with officials from the city, county and local service providers to discuss resources for the increasing homeless population in and around downtown Cedar Rapids. In addition to creating the local oversight board, the alliance recommended:
- Re-imagining the coordinated entry system to ensure equal access to the system no matter how people access services
- Investing in diversion to support people before they experience homelessness
Rogers said the creation of this temporary position is an important signal of the city and county working quickly to respond to the alliance’s recommendations and to continue collaborating in the housing and homelessness sphere.
According to the county, the exact job description still is in the works, but other responsibilities of this position would include:
- Monitor Homelessness Management Information Systems to gather client-level data as well as data on the provision of housing and services to individuals and families at risk of and experiencing homelessness
- Keep up on current U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development notices, policy changes and funding opportunities
- Stay up to date and educate nonprofit providers and local governments on best practices for diversion, prevention, rapid rehousing, permanent supportive housing and transitional housing
- Monitor program outcomes, policies and procedures that are established by the local oversight board and oversee the board’s operation by scheduling meetings, creating agendas and keeping meeting minutes
- Provide administrative support for subcommittees of the local oversight board, such as people with lived experience committee
- Offer technical assistance to programs to provide best practices
- Provide community training including diversion and coordinated entry
- Monitor federal funding streams, amounts and funded interventions
Rogers said there was no set timeline yet to hire the homeless systems manager.
Comments: (319) 398-8494; marissa.payne@thegazette.com
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