February 7, 2025 (DES MOINES) –The Iowa Finance Authority (IFA) Board of Directors recently awarded a total of more than $150,000 to support the homelessness assistance efforts of two agencies serving Iowa counties most impacted by last year’s severe storms and tornados that occurred in April and May.
The funding is made available through a special allocation of Rapid Unsheltered Survivor Housing (RUSH) funding under the federal Emergency Solutions Grant Program (ESG) in response to the President’s major disaster declarations related to the natural disasters.
New Visions Homeless Services located in Council Bluffs was awarded $88,855 and Crisis Intervention & Advocacy Center in Adel was awarded $59,237.
Many volunteers and service agencies have worked tirelessly to assist Iowans displaced from their homes since day one, all while managing heavy caseloads and limited resources,
said IFA Director Debi Durham. “This additional funding will offer much-needed financial relief to two of those agencies in the regions hardest hit by the devastating natural disasters.”
In Iowa, the funds may be used for street outreach, shelter, homelessness prevention, Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) expenses and administration. To be eligible for ESG RUSH assistance, an individual or family must be homeless or at-risk of homelessness as defined by the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, have been residing in an eligible declared disaster area, and have needs not fully met by other existing federal disaster relief programs. The Institute for Community Alliances was awarded a portion of the ESG RUSH funds totaling $3,022 to provide HMIS administrative support.
“We are pleased to receive this support,” said Brandy Wallar, President and CEO of New Visions Homeless Services. “This marks a significant milestone in moving forward after the devastating natural disasters so that we can continue our focus on assisting Iowans who are homeless or at-risk of homelessness and set them up for long-term success.”
Individuals in need of homelessness assistance should visit iowahousinghelp.com or call the coordinated entry system at 833-739-0065. Residents of Des Moines or Polk County should call centralized intake at 515-248-1850. Residents in the Siouxland area should visit siouxlandhomeless.org or call 712-224-5247. Residents of Pottawattamie County should call 712-322-7570.
ESG RUSH funding was eligible to be disbursed in the President’s major disaster declared counties under DR-4779-IA and DR-4784-IA. The State of Iowa prioritized ESG RUSH funding for eligible households residing in the two counties that suffered the most significant damage to their housing stock under DR-4779-IA and DR-4784-IA: Adair County (Greenfield tornado) and Pottawattamie County (Minden tornado).
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1963 Bell Avenue
Des Moines, IA 50315