Strategic Plan:
General Format

Iowa City expects to receive a total of approximately $1,620,000 in federal funds (CDBG & HOME) annually. Other federal funds for specific programs, like the Housing Choice Voucher Program is already designated by the federal government for a specific use (rent assistance for this example). The City has established a citizen-oriented method for allocating CDBG and HOME funds. The Housing and Community Development Commission (HCDC) is a nine member citizen advisory commission to the City Council. As funding becomes available, annually, this commission hears proposals from numerous local organizations (both non-profit and for-profits) and the City itself. Once the presentations are heard this commission ranks each proposal according to pre-determined factors (see Ranking Criteria in Appendix 5). The most important factor is "addressing a priority need identified in the CITY STEPS Plan". Projects requesting funding must address one of these needs, and since funding is limited, the proposals meeting a "HIGH" or "MEDIUM" priority need are given the highest rating. Once the projects are ranked, the commission makes their funding recommendation to the City Council. The City Council reviews the recommendation and makes revisions, as needed, and then votes to adopt the funding allocations of CDBG and HOME monies as part of the one year Action Plan.

In order to develop this plan and determine the community's needs citizen input was solicited. (A complete description of the development of the CITY STEPS Plan can be found in Section I.) This citizen input was the main force behind the priority rankings of the identified needs. A group, made up of six residents, formed the Priorities and Strategies Committee. Committee members attended the public meetings and discussed the community's needs with many organizations. As a result the Priorities and Strategies Committee assigned priority rankings of "HIGH", "MEDIUM", "LOW", and "NO SUCH NEED" to all of the various needs identified in this plan. These priorities will then be used by the HCDC and staff to rank proposed projects and make funding recommendations to the City Council.

These priority rankings are not absolute and are subject to change upon presentation of evidence that a need does exist and the level of that need is well documented. In general, "low" priority rankings indicate that existing services are adequately meeting current demand, or that no specific needs have been identified at this time. It is also important to remember that these are not the needs of the City as a whole, but those of its low-income residents only. Thus, Water Improvements and Parking have a "Low" priority ranking as far as the low-income population alone is concerned, but these improvements are a "high" priority for the City as a whole.

Available funding is the most apparent obstacle. Most of the services that are needed by low income persons are available in Iowa City; if more funding were available existing services could be expanded to meet the needs of the community. A second, less apparent, obstacle to meeting lower income residents' needs has to do with community attitudes. Many persons support services or programs designed to help the needy, but do not want "low income housing" or multi-family housing in their neighborhood. (See also Section IV.F.)

*Inventory exists at DVIP, however, funds for staffing do not allow for maximum utilization of the facility.