After camping ban, Harvard fellow to aid Des Moines' homelessness work
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Des Moines' push to address homeless camps is getting a boost through a Harvard College program, with up to $300,000 in grant-funded support for a policy aide to work with the city for the next two years.
Why it matters: City leaders hope the support will help the metro move beyond planning and expand shelter options for unsheltered people.
Driving the news: The City Council this week approved an agreement with the Bloomberg Harvard City Hall Fellows, a program that places early-career professionals in city halls to help local governments tackle major policy challenges.
- The fellow will, for two years, help DSM lead collaboration and oversee the development of private shelter units.
Catch up quick: Des Moines began enforcing its public sleeping and camping bans last year after revising earlier proposals in response to legal and humanitarian concerns.
- City leaders said they would keep working to expand shelter options and connect unsheltered people with services.
Zoom in: Des Moines is among more than a dozen local governments, businesses and human service groups behind a recent Blueprint to Address Homelessness in Polk County.
- It calls for coordinated regional action on homelessness prevention, crisis response and long-term housing, including expanding shelter capacity and creating clearer pathways out of homelessness.
Worthy of your time: This week's agreement came as three Des Moines city staffers returned from a separate Bloomberg Harvard training.
- Assistant city manager Jen Schulte tells Axios that the training will help staff navigate complex discussions on a wide range of issues, including stalled redevelopment projects.
What's next: The fellow is expected to start around July 27.