Jumpstart Housing Assistance Office Moving to New Location

The Jumpstart Housing Assistance Office in Cedar Rapids is moving to a new location. Beginning Monday, June 29, the Jumpstart Office will operate from the Dows Building, located at 210 2nd St SE, Suite 204 in downtown Cedar Rapids. Hours of operation will remain 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. The phone number will also remain the same, (319) 286-5850.

By moving to this centralized location, Jumpstart staff will have access to more reliable technology and will be able to provide improved privacy for one-on-one consultations. The former location in Westdale Mall will close at 5:00 p.m. this Thursday, June 25.

City Needs Your Feedback on Facilities & Programs

On Tuesday, June 23, the City of Cedar Rapids held an open house to gather feedback on rebuilding flood-damaged City facilities and planning for Parks and Recreation facilities and programs. The City has combined these public participation processes to guide the most efficient use of community facilities and parks and recreation facilities and programs to meet the needs of the community today and for the next generation. 

The Parks & Recreation department needs feedback on four service areas:

1. Indoor Recreation
2. Parks & Open Space System
3. Riverfront
4. Trail System

 
Other City departments need feedback on existing buildings, as well as concepts for combined buildings and services. The existing buildings included in this process are:

1. Animal Control
2. Central Fire Station
3. Former United States Courthouse
4. Intermodal Transportation Facility
5. Main Public Library
6. Public Works Building
7. Veterans Memorial Building

 
The concepts for combined buildings and services are:

1. Community Operations Center
2. Community Services Center
3. Community Safety Center
4. Intermodal Transit Facility
5. Neighborhood Centers
6. Westside Community Center

 
Please provide your feedback, input, comments and interests online atwww.corridorrecovery.org/cropenhouse.

Cedar Rapids Transit Offers Summer Bus Fare Promotions

Cedar Rapids Transit is offering the following fare promotions for passengers riding the city buses this summer: 

IDED Announces 516.7 Million CDBG Action Plan Available for Public Comment

The Iowa Department of Economic Development (IDED) posted an action plan for the $516.7 million allocation for disaster recovery from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) last Friday. The plan, which outlines the appropriations of funds through Community Development Block Grants (CDBG), will be posted at the IDED website for seven days for public comment. After the public comment period, the plan will be submitted to HUD for final approval.   

This allocation brings Iowa’s funding from HUD’s CDBG program to nearly $800 million to date. The funding will be administered by IDED under an agreement to follow modified rules of the CDBG program. The resources will address a wide range of unique community development needs such as home buyouts, public infrastructure projects and assistance to businesses, economic revitalization and flood mitigation.  

Highlights of the action plan include:

• $245 million allocated to non-FEMA buyouts for a total of $255 million. IDED has already completed a needs assessment survey of the affected communities and determined that this amount will adequately cover the non-FEMA buyout requests for the affected communities.
• $20 million for additional support for business through the Loan Interest Expense Program to assist with cash flow after businesses re-open, and an additional $5 million for business rental assistance. This will be in addition to the $94 million in state and federal money expected for business.
• $10 million for floodplain mapping. With the $5 million from the first CDBG allocation this will meet the request of $15 million to cover the cost.
• Almost $75 million for infrastructure projects to rebuild public facilities for a total of $122.5 million.

 
The action plan will be posted and available for public comment until June 26, 2009 athttp://www.iowalifechanging.com/community/public-comment.aspx, or send comments to Mike Miller at IDED, 200 East Grand, Des Moines, IA 50309, phone at 515-242-4807, or by email atcommunity@iowalifechanging.com.

RIO Seeks Disaster Recovery Input through Survey

 One year after Iowa’s devastating storms, tornadoes and flooding, the state Rebuild Iowa Office (RIO) is seeking additional public input on the state’s disaster recovery through the “Speak Up Iowa II” survey. Survey results will help the RIO improve disaster recovery programs and procedures, suggesting enhancements and future legislative issues. 

This survey builds on the feedback from last summer’s statewide public input sessions which fueled the work of the Rebuild Iowa Advisory Commission and its task forces and led to 12 legislative recommendations. All 12 recommendations were addressed during the 2009 legislative session. The “Speak Up Iowa II” survey is available on the RIO Web site atwww.rio.iowa.gov.

Cedar Rapids Community School District Seeks Public Input on Facility Planning

The Cedar Rapids Community School District is hosting a series of public forums to gather input for its facilities planning and flood recovery.  Entitled “Back and Better Get-Togethers,” the three forums are modeled after the city’s public participation process.    

The first Get-Together forum, scheduled for Tuesday, June 30 from 4:00 – 7:00 p.m. at the Jefferson High School Band Room, will provide information on the District’s needs, existing building conditions, the forum process and District's flood recovery work to date.  

Five critical District buildings were significantly damaged in the June 2008 flood, including the administrative and warehouse facilities.  Administrative offices relocated to a temporary modular building campus at Kingston Stadium and continue to operate from there. Taylor Elementary School was also damaged in the flood. It has now been repaired and will reopen in August. Taylor is not part of this facilities process.   

The second Get-Together forum on August 27, to be held at Kennedy High School, will provide information on facility and programming options. The final forum on October 20, to be held at Washington High School, will provide information on selected options.    

The public participation process involves residents early and effectively in decisions impacting the community. Public feedback ensures that the final plan reflects the identified needs and interests of the entire Cedar Rapids community. 
 

Help is Still Here for Flood Survivors

The one-year anniversary of the Flood has passed but for many people the recovery continues. Some people might be feeling more stressed now than they were when the flood first hit. It is normal for your stress level to change as time goes on. 

Why is it still so hard?

• You may be still be separated from family, friends and neighbors.
• Many have experienced loss of property and/or possessions.
• Financial hardships may be even greater with the down economy.
• The recovery process can cause fatigue and irritability.
• You may have difficulty getting through the red tape of agencies and insurance companies.

 How to be a survivor:

• Talk to someone about your feelings.
• Listen to others, especially children, share their stories.
• Allow yourself time to grieve.
• Focus on the positives.
• Seek help from others if you need it.

 
Project Recovery Iowa provides free and confidential crisis counseling services. Crisis counselors can assist with providing referrals to community agencies as well. To access these services call the Iowa Concern Hotline at 1-800-447-1985.

Updated Linn County Department Locations

The Linn County Board of Supervisors and its staff have moved to the County’s temporary location at Linn County West, 2500 Edgewood Rd. SW, in Cedar Rapids (formerly the Steve & Barry’s store at Westdale Mall). Following is the updated list of locations and mailing addresses for Linn County departments. Please note the mailing address for some departments is different from the physical location. This information is also available on the Linn County website (www.linncounty.org). 

Department	Phone Number	Current Location	Mailing Address	Hours of Operation Mon-Fri
Assessor	892-5220	Linn County West, 1st Floor, 2500 Edgewood Rd SW	930 1st Street SW, Cedar Rapids, IA 52404	8:00-5:00
Attorney	892-6350	51  3rd Avenue Bridge, Cedar Rapids	51  3rd Avenue Bridge, Cedar Rapids, IA 52401	8:00-4:30
Attorney -- Juvenile Division	892-6330	Palmer Building, 123 5th St. SE, Cedar Rapids	51 3rd Avenue Bridge, Cedar Rapids, IA  52401	8:00-4:30
Attorney -- Simple Misdemeanor & Juvenile Division	892-6335	Palmer Building, 123 5th St. SE, Cedar Rapids	51  3rd Avenue Bridge, Cedar Rapids, IA 52401	8:00-4:30
Auditor	892-5300	Linn County West, 1st Floor, 2500 Edgewood Rd SW	930 1st Street SW, Cedar Rapids, IA  52404	8:00-5:00
Board of Supervisors	892-5000	Linn County West, 1st Floor, 2500 Edgewood Rd SW	930 1st Street SW, Cedar Rapids, IA 52404	8:00-5:00
Child Development Center	892-5700	520 11th Street SW, Cedar Rapids	520 11th Street NW, Cedar Rapids, IA  52405	8:00-5:00
Child Support Recovery Unit	888-229-9223	411 3rd St SE, Ste 200, Cedar Rapids	411 3rd St SE, Ste 200, Cedar Rapids, IA  52401	8:00-4:30
Communications	892-5118	Linn County West, 1st Floor, 2500 Edgewood Rd SW	930 - 1st Street SW, Cedar Rapids, IA  52404	8:00-5:00
Community Services / Core Services	892-5600	Linn County West, 2nd Floor, 2500 Edgewood Rd SW	930 1st Street SW, Cedar Rapids, IA  52404	8:00-4:30
Conservation	892-6450	1890 County Home Road, Marion	1890 County Home Road, Marion, IA  52302	8:00-4:30
Correctional Center (Jail)	892-6300	53 Third Avenue Bridge, Cedar Rapids	P.O. Box 608, Cedar Rapids, IA 52406	24 Hours / 7 Days a week
Elections	892-5300	Linn County West, 1st Floor, 2500 Edgewood Rd SW	P.O. Box 1328, Cedar Rapids, IA 52406	8:00-5:00
Empowerment/  Decategorization	892-5721	520 11th  Street NW, Cedar Rapids	520 11th  Street NW, Cedar Rapids, IA 52405	8:00-4:30
Engineering & Secondary Roads	892-6400	1888 County Home Road, Marion	1888 County Home Road, Marion, IA  52302	Effective 6/1/097:00-3:30 Effective9-07-09  8:00-4:30
Facilities	892-5316	Linn County West, 1st Floor, 2500 Edgewood Rd SW	930 1st Street SW, Cedar Rapids, IA 52404	8:00-5:00
Finance & Budget	892-5010	Linn County West, 1st Floor, 2500 Edgewood Rd SW	930 1st Street SW, Cedar Rapids, IA 52404	8:00-5:00
General Assistance	892-5850	Linn County West, 2nd Floor, 2500 Edgewood Rd SW	930 1st Street SW, Cedar Rapids, IA  52404	7:30-4:00
Home Health	892-5780	740 N. 15th Avenue, Suite C, Hiawatha	740 N. 15th Avenue, Suite C, Hiawatha, IA  52233	8:00-4:30
Human Resources	892-5120	Linn County West, 1st Floor, 2500 Edgewood Rd SW	930 1st Street SW, Cedar Rapids, IA 52404	8:00-5:00
Information Technology	892-5250	Linn County West, 1st Floor, 2500 Edgewood Rd SW	930 1st Street SW, Cedar Rapids, IA 52404	8:00-5:00
L I F T S	892-5170	625 31st Avenue SW, Cedar Rapids	625 31st Avenue SW, Cedar Rapids, IA  52404	7:30-4:30
M H D D  -- Case Management, SAL, In-Home Services	892-5620	Linn County West, 2nd Floor, 2500 Edgewood Rd SW	930 1st Street SW, Cedar Rapids, IA  52404	8:00-4:30
M H D D  -- Intake	892-5671	Linn County West, 2nd Floor, 2500 Edgewood Rd SW	930 1st Street SW, Cedar Rapids, IA  52404	8:00-4:30
M H D D -- Payee	892-5680	Linn County West, 2nd Floor, 2500 Edgewood Rd SW	P.O. Box 74911, Cedar Rapids, IA  52407-4911	8:00-4:30
M H D D -- CPC	892-5670	Linn County West, 2nd Floor, 2500 Edgewood Rd SW	930 1st Street SW, Cedar Rapids, IA  52404	8:00-4:30
Options	892-5800	3750 Williams Boulevard SW, Cedar Rapids (Former Target Building)	3750 Williams Boulevard SW, Suite 400  Cedar Rapids, IA  52403	7:00-4:30
Planning & Development	892-5130	Linn County West, 1st Floor, 2500 Edgewood Rd SW	930 1st Street SW, Cedar Rapids, IA 52404	8:00-5:00
Public Health	892-6000	501 13th Street NW, Cedar Rapids	501 13th Street NW, Cedar Rapids, IA  52405	8:00-5:00
Purchasing/  Mailroom	892-5020	Linn County West, 2nd Floor, 2500 Edgewood Rd SW	930 1st Street SW, Cedar Rapids, IA 52404	8:00-4:30
Recorder	892-5420	Linn County West, 1st Floor, 2500 Edgewood Rd SW	930 1st Street SW, Cedar Rapids, IA 52404	8:00-5:00
Recorder -- Vital Statistics	892-5445	Linn County West, 1st Floor, 2500 Edgewood Rd SW	930 1st Street SW, Cedar Rapids, IA 52404	8:00-5:00
Risk Management	892-5200	Linn County West, 1st Floor, 2500 Edgewood Rd SW	930 1st Street SW, Cedar Rapids, IA 52404	8:00-5:00
Senior Assistance Program	892-5770	740 N. 15th Avenue, Suite C, Hiawatha	740 N. 15th Avenue, Suite C, Hiawatha, IA  52233	8:00-4:30
Sheriff	892-6100	1860 County Home Road, Marion	P.O. Box 669, Cedar Rapids, IA  52406	8:00-5:00
Soil Conservation	377-5960	3025 7th Avenue, Marion	3025 7th Avenue, Marion, IA  52302	8:00-5:00
Treasurer -- Motor Vehicles	892-5500	Linn County West, 1st Floor, 2500 Edgewood Rd SW	930 1st Street SW, Cedar Rapids, IA 52404	8:00-5:00
Treasurer -- Property Taxes	892-5550	Linn County West, 1st Floor, 2500 Edgewood Rd SW	930 1st Street SW, Cedar Rapids, IA 52404	8:00-5:00
Veteran Affairs	892-5160	Linn County West, 2nd Floor, 2500 Edgewood Rd SW	825 3rd Street SW, Cedar Rapids, IA  52404	7:30-4:00
Youth Services	892-5720	520 11th Street NW, Cedar Rapids	520 11th Street NW, Cedar Rapids, IA  52405	8:00-5:00

 

Grand Opening for Downtown Library branch on June 29

The Downtown branch of the Cedar Rapids Public Library celebrates its Grand Opening on Monday, June 29, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Punch and cookies will be served by Friends of the Cedar Rapids Library. There will also be giveaways and drawings.

Located at 221 3^rdSt. SE, next to Hills Bank and Trust, this satellite facility offers a collection of books for children through adults, CDs and DVDs, as well as materials pick-up and drop-off services. Three internet computer stations are available for public use. Planned hours of operation are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Farmer’s Market Saturdays. For further information, visitwww.CRLibrary.org, or call 319-398-5123.

Child Care for Flood Survivors

Lovely Lane United Methodist Church and the Matthew 25 Ministry are co-sponsors of Trinity Lane Preschool, a 10-week child care program starting June 15 at Trinity United Methodist Church, 400 Third Ave. SW. The program will offer care for young children from 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. 

The program is open to children whose families were affected by the Flood of 2008. Full-time care for those families who show a FEMA number may enroll their child for $30 a week full-time, $20 part-time. To enroll a child, or for more information, call the Matthew 25 Ministry Hub at (319) 362-2214.

Volunteers Can Clean & Fix Your Flooded Home

Need help with gutting or rebuilding your flood-damaged home? The Flood Recovery Office of the First United Methodist Church in Marion may be able to provide you with volunteers to transform your gutted house into a move-in ready home. This service is sponsored by the Iowa Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church and its “Bringing Hope to the Heartland” campaign. Call (319) 377-5344 to check for eligibility. 
 

Need Lawn Care Assistance?

Volunteers will provide free lawn care services to anyone who was flood-affected. They will mow, rake, trim and remove debris using their own equipment, free of charge. Special preference will be given to elderly and handicapped residents. Call Larissa Norris at (319) 540-4810 to request assistance.

Flood & Construction Debris Collection Update

The City urges owners of flood-affected properties to separate their trash into flood debris and reconstruction debris piles, as follows:

Flood-Damaged Debris Collection

• All flood-related debris must be segregated into appropriate piles and placed in front of your home on the City Right of Way.
• Flood-damaged debris must be segregated into the following piles;
• Appliances - Fridges, stoves, dishwashers, microwaves, washers, dryers, freezers, window and central air conditioners, water heaters, furnaces, dehumidifiers.
• Household Hazardous Waste - Paints (latex and oil-based), solvents, cleaning solvents, gasoline, oils, pesticides, fertilizers.
• Electronics - Computers, stereos, VCR’s, DVD players, toaster ovens.
• Scrap Metal - Pots and pans, shelves, BBQ’s, exercise equipment, patio furniture, chairs, etc.
• Garbage - Furniture, household belongings, damaged drywall, plaster, wood lathing, wood decking, playhouses, kids’ toys, etc.

 
Reconstruction Debris Collection

• The City has collected reconstruction debris such as left over drywall, lumber and flooring scraps.
• Reconstruction debris MUST be kept separate from flood-damaged debris and sit out in front of your home on the City right-of-way.
• Reconstruction debris will be collected from flood-impacted residential areas only.
• Reconstruction debris removal is NOT reimbursable through FEMA.
• If reconstruction debris and flood debris are mixed together in a pile, the whole pile will be ineligible for FEMA reimbursement.

 

Want to Talk to Someone Who Understands?

Project Recovery Iowa is pleased to offer several area groups formed to help flood survivors meet others who might share similar struggles and triumphs. Groups are a great way to learn more about how to cope with difficult circumstances and move forward with your life. 

Anyone who was flood-affected can attend a group, regardless of where they are currently living. These relaxed, informal groups are facilitated by Project Recovery Iowa staff. There are special activities available for children so feel free to bring them along. If you have questions about groups, please call the Project Recovery Iowa office at (319) 297-3275. 

Here is a list of days and times for the current group meetings:

Mondays:

• 10:00 a.m. at Eagle Ridge Community Room, 1285 Red Fox Way, Marion
• 5:00 p.m. at Five Seasons Community Room, 3421 Blairs Ferry Rd NE, Cedar Rapids

 
Tuesdays:

• 10:00 a.m. at Kirkwood Estates Community Room, 615 Miller Avenue Dr SW
• 10:00 a.m. at Five Seasons Community Room, 3421 Blairs Ferry Rd NE, Cedar Rapids
• 5:00 p.m. at Cedar Terrace Community Room, 1834 Gretchen Dr SW, Cedar Rapids

 
Wednesdays:

• 6:30 p.m. at Bali Hai Recreation Center, 1405 Robins Rd, Hiawatha

  Thursdays:

• 5:00 p.m. at Kirkwood Estates Community Room, 615 Miller Avenue Dr. SW