Cedar Rapids awards $3 million in ARPA funds to 20 affordable housing, social service projects

CEDAR RAPIDS — Twenty affordable housing and social service projects in Cedar Rapids will get a $3 million boost from federal COVID-19 relief funds.

The City Council voted Tuesday to allocate the share of money awarded jointly through a competitive proposal process with Linn County to maximize the dollars distributed through the Democrat-backed American Rescue Plan Act.

“These awards certainly align with the priorities of this council,” Mayor Tiffany O’Donnell said.

Council member Dale Todd recused himself from the vote.

Affordable housing

Community Development Director Jennifer Pratt said the influx of nearly $46 million in Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery funds to Linn County will largely support new housing construction and rehabilitation, which staff took into account in making these awards.

“We really had to consider when we were looking at these applications that those funds were going to be available,” Pratt said. “ … Affordable housing would have been at the top of the list except we have these other resources coming in and we want to maximize those.”

Cedar Rapids Brickstone: $200,000 granted for 43 affordable housing units with a supportive services component through Foundation 2.

Genwealth Holdings: $130,000 requested and granted for a rehabilitation of existing apartments, which Pratt said will not be eligible for CDBG funds.

HACAP: One-fourth of the $400,000 request for an affordable housing expansion. The city and Linn County each gave $150,000 in the first round, so this allocation fulfills the remainder of the request.

Social service projects

The Arc of East Central Iowa: The entire $250,000 request for inclusive recreation for downtown Cedar Rapids.

Catherine McAuley Center: $228,000 of a $697,328 request for Recovery for Refugees as part of the New Iowans Collaborative, which helps newcomers to the community such as immigrants and refugees.

Central Furniture Rescue: Fully funds a $10,000 request for a test and repair room.

Eastern Iowa Health Center: Of a $1.1 million request, grants $150,000 for COVID-19 ED, vaccinations and general medicine.

Families Helping Families of Iowa: $25,000 for support for Linn County youth in foster care.

Foundation 2 Crisis Services: Funds the entire $250,000 request to replace the roof for Foundation 2’s headquarters facility.

Green Square Meals: Of the $60,000 request, $20,000 was granted to the organization that addresses food insecurity in the urban core.

HACAP: $250,000 for a food reservoir freezer/cooler.

The Heritage Area Agency on Aging: $50,000 of a $157,000 request for Encore Express.

His Hands Free Clinic: For solar, security and equipment, $99,829 was awarded.

Horizons A Family Service Alliance: $60,000 as part of the New Iowans Collaborative for transportation.

Matthew 25: $359,562 for Healthy Homes, Food & Neighborhoods.

The Salvation Army of Cedar Rapids: $120,000 of a $248,820 request for the Emergency Disaster Services Hub & Food Distribution Center.

Together We Achieve: $19,742 for holiday food boxes — Bringing Food to the Holidays.

United We March Forward: $31,870 for Bridging the Gap.

Waypoint: $466,000 of a $632,227 request to increase the KidsPoint Child Care Capacity.

Zach Johnson Foundation: Half the $350,000 request for the Kids on Course program.

‘Helping our most vulnerable’

Council member Scott Overland said the city has moved along expeditiously to divvy up ARPA funds, allowing the beneficiaries to quickly put the money to use for the public.

“I think it’s been probably a learning process on how to do that,” Overland said. “Cities aren’t used to having significant amounts of money dropped on them saying, ‘Hey, you have to spend it by a certain time.’”

Council member Ashley Vanorny said she appreciated city staff intentionally supporting the organizations that “are helping our most vulnerable people, as we’ve become ultra familiar with over the last couple of years.”

The funds awarded Tuesday were in addition to the $3.112 million the city awarded with Linn County in the first round competitive process. Contributions from the city helped 14 projects, including getting Willis Dady’s employment hub across the finish line and launching the construction of a new $9 million facility for the Boys & Girls Club.

Still, the awards only go so far to meet the needs of local nonprofits and service providers. Pratt said organizations requested about $70 million in the first round and $55 million in the second round, though some may have been duplicate requests submitted in both rounds.

“We know the need is very great out there,” Pratt said.

Cedar Rapids also has committed $10 million to westside flood control, $750,000 to replenish nonprofits’ lost hotel-motel tax revenue from overnight guests and $585,000 for workforce initiatives, including scholarships for certain Kirkwood Community College programs.

Other ARPA allocations are forthcoming on the westside library and Opportunity Center, as well as the rehabilitation of the former Colonial Centre building in Wellington Heights into affordable housing units. Pratt said these items are slated to come before council this fall or winter.

“We wanted to get these dollars out to the nonprofits that are working in our community every day,” Pratt said.

Council member Scott Olson said housing is in short supply around the country, but especially in Cedar Rapids as a result of the August 2020 derecho.

Olson said he was encouraged to see the city and county working collaboratively to maximize a combined $72 million in ARPA funds and hoped to see the two local government entities working together in the future.

“I know that’s been tough over the years, working with the county, but I appreciate that effort,” Olson said.

In the past, there has been friction between the entities, such as when the county sought money from the city for a youth violence initiative or when city officials have asked for funds from the county for flood control. Council members also have bristled at supervisors’ declared support for candidates in city elections.

“I think hopefully it sends a signal that there might be other things in the future that we can team with the county on,” Olson said. “The city occupies a good piece of the county.”

County ARPA allocations from the joint proposal process are anticipated within the next month or so.

Comments: (319) 398-8494; marissa.payne@thegazette.com