Des Moines City Council Approves $500K In Additional Coronavirus Relief

Press release from the City of Des Moines:

December 7, 2020

DES MOINES, IOWA – December 7, 2020 – Nine months into the pandemic, the Des Moines City Council tonight voted to approve the reallocation of $500,000 from the City’s general fund to provide additional COVID-19 relief to support the residents of Des Moines. The funds will go towards rental and mortgage assistance, as well as aid to those experiencing homelessness. The Council passed the funding during Monday’s meeting.

“We continue to look for the most effective ways to support the residents of Des Moines during these difficult times,” Mayor Frank Cownie said. “The approval of these reallocated funds will help alleviate the burden many residents have found themselves and their families in during this challenging year.”

The reallocation of $500,000 from the City’s General Fund is the latest of many steps the City has taken to support residents this year. Beginning in May, the City of Des Moines has provided or distributed City, State and Federal relief funding totaling roughly $3.3 million. Multiple areas this funding has been distributed to are:

• $1,100,000 in small business relief
• $684,970 in rental assistance and mortgage relief
• $481,807 providing 53,102 free meals to residents
• $330,487 homeless prevention

Recognizing the immediate needs of its residents, the City will draw the $500,000 from the general fund, anticipating a portion of those funds will be reimbursed by the Federal Government. The exact amount to be reimbursed is unknown at this time. The funds will go to IMPACT, who provides energy, food and housing assistance and HOME, Inc., who invests in low-income housing neighborhoods and empowers families to retain housing through education and counseling.

To access emergency housing assistance, you can call HOME, Inc. at 515-243-1277 or IMPACT Community Action Partnership at 515-518-4470. If you are looking for free legal advice regarding housing, contact Iowa Legal Aid at 800-532-1275.

This press release was produced by the City of Des Moines. The views expressed here are the author’s own.