Articles Tagged: Homelessness

A pesar de que tengan un techo, estas familias inmigrantes y muchos otros como ellos en el Condado de Johnson forman parte de un grupo que está experimentando la definición técnica de carecer de un hogar.

Iowa Senate doesn’t extend pause on new casinos, Why half of Latino immigrants are homeless in Johnson County, Bill Quinby, community builder and moral compass dies at 92

Despite having a roof over their heads, more than half of working immigrant families meet the technical definition of homelessness as they double up, triple up and worse to maintain their homes.

Waypoint is looking to convert its now-closed emergency shelter, the Madge Phillips Center, in southeast Cedar Rapids into a “housing first” facility. It is planned to add new affordable rental units with community services in an effort to move toward ending homelessness.

Individuals experiencing homelessness in the Cedar Rapids area may more quickly receive vouchers to help them pay for housing costs under a rule change implemented this week by the city of Cedar Rapids, allowing low-income families to better access support as they become unhoused and reducing lengthy waits for assistance.

The bill introduced this week would have allowed cities and counties to use state funds to establish homeless encampments on public property, and would prohibit sleeping, camping or erecting a shelter on public property outside of official sites. The legislation was ultimately tabled on Tuesday.

This year’s winter “Point in Time” count Jan. 24 yielded mixed results in Linn and Johnson counties that showed perhaps the start of changing trends for both.

With 13 apartments, this building will have an impact on a growing, chronically homeless population in Cedar Rapids.

National increase reflects a soaring homeless population in Linn County also.

The winter gear items were donated by employees at UnityPoint Health-St. Luke’s Hospital and at UnityPoint Clinics in the Cedar Rapids. In total, nearly 400 hats, gloves and scarves were donated, as well as several winter jackets, according to the hospital.

Shelter House opens its winter emergency shelter with 40 beds, which were filled the first night it opened last week. Officials hope it’s because they have been spreading the word but are worried it may because the need is greater this year. .

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 service providers to streamline gaps in services for the growing population of those experiencing or at risk of homelessness.

With homelessness on the rise and Cedar Rapids residents being in need of more affordable housing, here’s what candidates seeking Cedar Rapids City Council seats in Nov. 7 local elections had to say about improving housing access.

Social service professionals across Iowa work to address human needs in various ways, and the intersection between their sectors is significant. Food insecurity can be related to transportation, which can be related to work — and so on.

Almost all of the 13 people staying in a homeless encampment in Iowa City that caught fire Wednesday recently have had housing applications rejected due to their source of income -- a housing voucher, according to a Shelter House.