Articles Tagged: Homelessness

The victims of an Iowa City man charged with intentionally driving his car into five people after a dispute Friday were staying in a homeless encampment near the Iowa City Shelter House, according to a statement released Monday by the nonprofit.

Willis Dady, a nonprofit based in Cedar Rapids, was one of 100 grant recipients from the Lowe’s Hometowns project, which is dedicated to improving communities through revitalized public and private property. The funds will be used to make ADA renovations to a house that provides a home for veterans.

Also in this week’s Government Notes, Cedar Rapids is supporting a new initiative to address homelessness.

In Iowa, where Trump’s executive order pushing for forcible hospitalization over supportive housing could have significant implications, one homeless services provider says “Nothing in the order does anything that is proven to end homelessness. And in fact, it does the opposite.”

A Linn County housing program that launched last year — and initially struggled to find landlords to participate — is up and running with seven people currently being housed through the pilot program.

County leaders say the project should increase space, safety at the seasonal overnight shelter.

One year ago, J’nae Peterman started charting a new way forward for Cedar Rapids and Linn County. Now, the route to help end homelessness has been outlined with five pillars.

The Cedar Rapids City Council’s top priorities will remain unchanged for the year ahead, with members signaling their intent to pursue those goals with an eye for population growth through intentional investment.

The county purchased the 15 unit property at 1102 Hollywood Blvd. in Iowa City, in 2024 for $1.7 million, marking the first time the county has directly owned housing stock. Under a plan proposed by Iowa City, federally funded rental assistance vouchers, combined with VA support services, would be offered to veterans living in the units.

The Cedar Rapids Downtown Rotary Club hosted the fourth annual Grand Impact event where three local non-profits competed for funding. The winner was Willis Dady Homeless Services, which will use its $100,000 prize to expand a recycling program.

Linn County’s Alliance for Equitable Housing is still seeking landlords to participate in a pilot program announced in October that would provide financial incentives to Linn County landlords to offer housing to individuals who have had difficulty getting approved for leases in the past.

Legislation in the Iowa House and Senate would prohibit unauthorized camping on public lands, a move advocates for people experiencing homelessness argue would “criminalize homelessness.”

The dramatic rise was driven mostly by a lack of affordable housing as well as devastating natural disasters and a surge of migrants in several parts of the country, federal officials said Friday.

A new Cedar Rapids restaurant is spending its first Thanksgiving by giving back to those in need, and is asking for the public’s help to make it happen.

After a decade at Waypoint, where she served as housing services director, J’nae Peterman taking a deep dive to find unified solutions for homelessness that have vexed countless nonprofits and municipalities across the country.