Greene Square ambassador program starting again for summer season in Cedar Rapids

CEDAR RAPIDS — The program that employs people who’ve experienced homelessness to patrol Greene Square and key downtown areas is starting again for the summer months.

From May to October, these workers — employed by Willis Dady Homeless Services — pick up trash, work to keep the peace in the downtown area, remind park visitors of the rules, refer people to social service agencies and call emergency services if needed as a last resort.

Background

Cedar Rapids spent almost $2 million to renovate Greene Square in 2016 as a focal point for activities in the urban core such as farmers markets, concerts and festivals.

But this facility and nearby areas faced problems including increased police calls, conflicts, sleeping in and around the park, drug and alcohol use, vandalism and litter, Todd Simonson, the library’s public services manager, recently told the Cedar Rapids City Council. Other affected areas include the surrounding trails, library and Ground Transportation Center.

Simonson said those problems are caused by substance use, mental health, homelessness and at-risk teenagers.

After a man was killed during a fight in the park in 2018, the city explored how to keep the area safe, working with representatives from the Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance, the Cedar Rapids Police Department, Willis Dady and the Cedar Rapids Public Library.

Immediate changes made based on their collaboration included upping the police presence, adding security cameras and signs to the park and prohibiting smoking and alcohol use, except as approved for special events.

The city also boosted structured programs and events at the park and these entities have worked to increase mental health services, employment opportunities and intervention for at-risk youth.

This partnership also led to the creation of the ambassador program. The Willis Dady employees are supervised by Ruben Ginger, the library’s support service navigator.

“(The ambassadors) already have some established connections and it’s really an intervention so that we don’t need to result in calling police and going to that route,” Simonson said.

In 2020 and 2021, the program was affected by COVID-19 and the 2020 derecho, so 2022 was spent building up the program while facing staffing challenges.

What’s happened since?

Four ambassadors will work this season for 15 hours a week each from Monday through Saturday, for a total of 60 hours a week. Two ambassadors will work a five-hour shift each day. Simonson said the goal is to ramp up to seven days a week.

The ambassadors patrol the area spanning from First Street to Seventh Street SE and Second Avenue to Seventh Avenue SE. They will focus particularly on three high traffic areas: Greene Square, the Ground Transportation Center and trail near the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art.

The library itself saw an increased need with issues during summer and winter, so the program grew to include two full-time navigator positions.

“We’ve seen significant success in our behavior issues being addressed and really a decline in the overall number of behavior issues, police calls we’re making at the library,” Simonson said.

The Economic Alliance also has partnered with Willis Dady to dedicate a position to trash pickup in the area.

Ginger said many of the people he interacts with are homeless people from the community but he said there is an influx of people from outside of Cedar Rapids in Greene Square.

“We build on the relationships that we have. We count on those relationships,” Ginger said. “They like the interactions, they like to be able to come there and get resources.”

In 2017, Simonson said there were 216 incidents reported including disturbances, harassment, attempted suicides, weapons, among other types of incidents. In 2022, there were 241.

The statistics have remained relatively stagnant, Simonson said, but part of that may be attributed to an increase in people coming to the area. In July 2020, the count of unsheltered homeless people was 33, which tripled to 107 in July 2022. Willis Dady estimates the actual number should be doubled or tripled.

Council member Dale Todd, who represents District 3 which includes downtown, said all the stakeholders adjacent to Greene Square are now talking constantly and relying less on the police. This program has been a step toward addressing homelessness, he said.

“This is not meant to solve the issue,” said Todd, chair of the council’s Public Safety and Youth Services Committee. “This is one component of it.”

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