116 3rd St SE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
Government Notes: Cedar Rapids taking ‘music census’
Also, Cedar Rapids affordable housing efforts honored at state conference
The Cedar Rapids Music Census is open through the end of September.
The civic-led initiative looks to gain a comprehensive understanding of the current strengths, opportunities and needs of the local music community.
All professionals, semiprofessionals and students who work full-time or part-time in the music industry in any capacity, with or without compensation, may take the Music Census at CedarRapidsMusic.com.
Also, musicians, live performers, industry professionals, educators, venue owners and support service providers may complete the survey.
Respondents must be at least age 18 and living and/or working in the Cedar Rapids area.
A new brick exterior spruces up the former Colonial Centre as it was converted into The Heights, a 25-unit affordable housing unit in Wellington Heights in Cedar Rapids. The state recognized the project with an award last week in Des Moines. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)
Cabinets and countertops transform space in the former Colonial Centre into affordable apartments housing on Nov. 21, 2023, in the Wellington Heights neighborhood in southeast Cedar Rapids. The Heights project was singled out for recognition last week at the Iowa Economic Development Authority’s 2024 Housing Iowa Conference. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)
Cedar Rapids housing efforts honored
Cedar Rapids housing officials were honored last week at the Iowa Economic Development Authority’s 2024 Housing Iowa Conference.
The city was honored in the special needs development category for its work on The Heights, a renovation of the former Colonial Building in Wellington Heights into an affordable housing complex.
The Heights offers no-fee laundry units, community space and a computer lab. Fifteen of the 25 units are intended for people experiencing homelessness, while the rest are for low- to moderate-income households.
Jennifer Pratt is the city’s Community Development director, and Sara Buck is the city’s housing services manager.
“The Heights is more than a building — it’s a second chance, a lifeline, and a new beginning for those who need it most,” Heather Harney, HACAP regional housing manager, said in a news release. HACAP operates The Heights.
Cedar Rapids Mayor Tiffany O’Donnell called the project, which opened this spring, “the gold standard in our ‘Housing First’ strategy,” which calls for housing people experiencing homelessness as quickly as possible and then helping them find any assistance they need.
O’Donnell also noted J’nae Peterman received the Kay Anderson Friend of Iowa Award for her years of work “supporting our city’s most vulnerable residents.”
Peterman was the director of housing services at Waypoint for 10 years before becoming the city’s homeless systems manager, a position jointly funded by Cedar Rapids and Linn County.
Linn supervisors award $100K in grants
The Linn County Board of Supervisors last week awarded $100,000 in grants to 12 local organization from the county’s economic and community development fund.
The annual competitive grant program is intended to foster and support economic growth and enhance the quality of life in Linn County. Funding requests annually exceed the amount of funding available, coming in this year at more than $315,000.
The organizations receiving grants this year were:
- Center Point Urbana FFA Alumni & Supporters, “Growing Forward” capital fundraising campaign for vocational ag program, $17,000.
- Eastern Iowa Health Center, improving health for community members in need through on-site pharmacy, $12,000.
- Families Helping Families, fostering hope for children in foster care, $3,800.
- Hawkeye Downs, 100th year of racing event programming in 2025, $6,700.
- Indian Creek Nature Center, all-terrain wheelchairs at the center, $6,700.
- Kids First Law Center, preventing youth dropouts, $5,000.
- Linn County 3rd Fire District, renovation of a building for a new fire station, $5,000.
- Matthew 25, Cultivate Hope Corner Store, $12,000.
- Mount Vernon Area Arts Council, signage for Mount Vernon Sculpture Trail, $1,100.
- Riverview Center, Linn County sexual assault/abuse crisis response program, $6,700.
- Tanager Place, the Therapeutic Childcare Project, $12,000.
- Together We Achieve, choice food pantry and meals to go, $12,000.
More details can be found at LinnCountyIowa.gov/EconomicDevelopment.
C.R. Parks Foundation donates $45,000
The Cedar Rapids Parks Foundation has donated an additional $45,400 to Cedar Rapids Parks and Recreation to support park improvements.
The support will help fund shade shelters at the 12th Avenue Dog Park and Lincolnway Park, trees at the Jones Park entrance and pickleball courts, windscreens at the Jones Park pickleball courts, and water access at Old MacDonald’s Farm urban gardens.
“CR Parks Foundation is able to support these improvements to our parks because of the generosity of our local business community and our Cedar Rapids supporters and our partnership with CR Parks & Recreation,” CR Parks Foundation Executive Director Laurie Worden said in a statement.
“Parks hold an emotional place in many Cedar Rapidians’ hearts, and the support for these projects and our fundraising efforts will continue long into the foreseeable future.”
The foundation will hold its fall fundraiser — for those 21 and over — from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Oct. 3 at Old MacDonald’s Farm in Bever Park. Tickets are available online at crparkfoundation.org.
Linn-Mar students working to name building
A committee of Linn-Mar High School students in Marion began work last week to name the district’s new administration building.
The process of naming the building, which replaces the Learning Resource Center at 2999 N. 10th St. in Marion, will include student and community input, according to a school district news release.
The new $13.1 million administration building opens this month with space for the superintendent’s office, information technology, nutrition services, conference space and storage. It will sit on land near Excelsior Middle School, 3555 10th St., Marion.
The Learning Resource Center will be remodeled into classrooms.
The students will use the same naming parameters for this project as were established by the Linn-Mar school board for the naming of Hazel Point and Boulder Peak Intermediate Schools a few years ago.
These parameters stipulate that names must not be those of individuals, directional or animal-related. Additionally, names should avoid initials or shortened versions with alternative meanings and must reflect the community and represent Linn-Mar excellence while being culturally sensitive.
Name suggestions can be submitted on a form on the district’s website, which students will promote via the school’s television and news channel, social media and flyers with a QR code.
Naming ideas will be due Sept. 20. The student committee will narrow the submissions, ultimately selecting names for the two buildings and making recommendations to the Linn-Mar school board.
Community members also can contribute ideas at linnmar.k12.ia.us/news/student-committee-meets-to-name-linn-mar-buildings.
I.C. freezes public housing applications
The Iowa City Public Housing Authority will be closing its waitlist and no longer accepting applications for its Public Housing Program beginning Oct. 1.
The city closed the waitlist after a recommendation from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development because of the wait time for public housing, which is now three years.
Government Notes is published Mondays and contains updates from area governmental bodies. Gazette reporters Marissa Payne, Grace King and Megan Woolard contributed.
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