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ECICOG Secures Over $600,000 for Housing Rehabilitation ECICOG submitted applications for owner-occupied housing rehabilitation Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) for three cities in the region. Anamosa, Brighton, and North Liberty received word on November 5 that they were funded! North Liberty and Anamosa each received $207,495 to rehabilitate 5 homes, and Brighton will be able to rehabilitate 6 homes with $244,994. ECICOG will be working with the cities to administer the funds. If you have additional questions about CDBG funds or housing rehabilitation efforts, contact Housing & Community Development Director Tracey Achenbach at tracey.achenbach@ecicog.org. Oxford and Mount Auburn Complete City Code Updates ECICOG staff assisted the cities of Oxford and Mount Auburn with updating their city codes. Through the code update process, local leadership and ECICOG staff are able to make sure that the code is organized in a consistent, logical manner and reflects best practices and recent case law. Using a model code developed by the Iowa Association of Councils of Governments (ICOG), ECICOG staff are also able to identify items or issues that may be missing from the existing city code. In the end, the code becomes a more useful tool for staff, elected officials and residents. Not regularly updating city codes can put a community at risk for legal challenges. To learn more about how ECICOG assists with code updates, contact Community Development Specialist Tom Gruis at tom.gruis@ecicog.org. Share Your Ideas on the Envision East Central Iowa Discussion Boards Interested in the region’s future but unable to attend an Envision East Central Iowa event? Discussion boards were just launched on the project page at talkto.ecicog.org/eeci! We strongly encourage you to post your ideas and share the page with other economic development stakeholders, elected officials, and local government staff. Discussion topics include:
The project page also includes a detailed report on the regional survey and Community Think-Tank results. The report provides an in-depth look at four plausible future scenarios for the future of our region, as well the expected versus preferred scenarios. Since the Community Think Tank in late September, over thirteen county and industry-specific focus groups have been held. The data culled from the focus groups and discussion boards will help to build strategies to move the region forward. The final report is expected to be completed early next year. Contact Executive Director Karen Kurt at karen.kurt@ecicog.org to learn more. City of Springville Begins Nuisance Enforcement The City of Springville has joined Central City in utilizing ECICOG for assistance with nuisance enforcement. For cities that want to more proactively keep properties compliant with city code, ECICOG can help manage inspections and send letters to relieve city staffing that would be required to do so. The City of Springville established priorities such as debris laying in the yard (old tires, garbage, etc.), trees or bushes blocking sidewalks, dangerous building conditions, and other similar violations. ECICOG began Springville’s inspections in July 2021, and have sent 21 property inspection letters produced with a 75% correction record thus far. To learn more about the nuisance enforcement programs, contact Mark Culver at mark.culver@ecicog.org. Calling All Residential Contractors ECICOG is continuously seeking out residential contractors to support our housing work! Our needs will vary based on current projects, but will usually include replacement windows, roofing, doors, and siding. Contact Housing Specialist Mark Culver at mark.culver@ecicog.org or 319-289-0061 for more details. |
Washington County Minibus Expands Facility ECICOG helped secure over $472,000 from the Iowa DOT Public Transit Infrastructure Grant (PTIG) program for Washington County Minibus. Minibus is using these funds to remodel and expand its current facility. Local contractor Greiner Buildings is serving as the general contractor and construction is underway. As of November 3, new concrete has been installed and walls for the addition are starting to take shape. Minibus hopes to have the addition enclosed prior to winter to meet the project completion goal of Summer 2022. ECICOG has also worked with Jones County and Benton County Transportation to secure similar funding for facilities projects. For more information, please contact Transit Administrator Brock Grenis at brock.grenis@ecicog.org. City of Palo Uses TIF Funding for Housing Rehabilitation Throughout the past decade, the City of Palo has accumulated residential Tax Increment Financing (TIF) funds dedicated to low- and moderate-income households. The City is dedicating about $250,000 to housing rehabilitation, to be used for exterior or energy efficiency improvements by households earning at or below 80% of the median income. Not wanting to hire additional full-time staff, the City of Palo partnered with ECICOG to administer the program. ECICOG’s experience administering numerous housing rehab programs led to a quick program design and implementation. ECICOG staff is handling applicant qualification, inspections, scope of work development, contractor procurement, and project oversight. For more details on Palo’s program or housing rehabilitation, contact Planner/Grant Specialist Paula Mitchell at paula.mitchell@ecicog.org. 380 Express Bus Ridership Exceeds Pre-Pandemic Levels The 380 Express Bus ridership has grown steadily following the pandemic. Last month, the 380 Express’s ridership exceeded 2019 levels for the first time – 6,059 in Sept. 2019 and 6,299 in Sept. 2021. Masks continue to be required to ride the bus, and each bus is sanitized daily. In addition to the ridership growth, the 380 Express is seeing success in its partnership with Kirkwood Community College. Students often need to travel to Kirkwood’s Cedar Rapids campus from Iowa City, due to programs available only at the Cedar Rapids campus. The community college worked with ECICOG to purchase discounted bus passes for the fall semester. With 59 students involved, the program has had robust use and positive feedback since it began in August. Kirkwood is seeking opportunities to expand the program. Finally, ECICOG Transit Administrator Brock Grenis presented about the 380 Express at the National Rural and Intercity Bus Conference on October 25. The panel, “Intercity Bus: The Industry, the Network and a Solution,” had over 50 engaged attendees. ECICOG secured the grants, administers the contract, and oversees Windstar Lines' planning and operation for the 380 Express service between Cedar Rapids and Iowa City. Contact Brock with questions at brock.grenis@ecicog.org. Congratulations to Bertram for Comprehensive Plan Update ECICOG served as the consulting team to update Bertram’s comprehensive plan. Comprehensive plans present current community values and goals based on citizen input. Based on community input, comprehensive plans express a community’s vision for the future and provide a strategic map to reach that vision. A critical component is the land use map, which outlines how the community will grow in future years. Bertram’s plan reflects the community’s interest in preserving their small-town atmosphere, while providing guidance for future housing development, and water/wastewater infrastructure. To learn more about how ECICOG assists with comprehensive planning, contact Community Development Specialist Tom Gruis at tom.gruis@ecicog.org. |
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Pursuant to Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended the Civil Rights Restoration Act of 1987 and other nondiscrimination authorities, it is the policy of the East Central Iowa Council of Governments (ECICOG) that discrimination based on race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability or income status shall not occur in connection with any of its programs or activities. For more information on Title VI, or to file a complaint please see the Title VI section here.
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