Planning a Welcoming Community

The City’s Community Development Department oversees many initiatives that contribute to the welcoming, inclusive place Cedar Rapids is and strives to be. From engaging residents in plans for the City’s future — to managing programs that help residents find a place to call home — Cedar Rapids is working to become a more welcoming place for all.

Neighborhood Associations

Neighborhood Associations connect residents for fun activities and relationship building. Several associations dot our community, serving older historic areas and new developments alike. Neighborhood Associations meet regularly and connect with City staff who meet with their groups and get to know them personally.

Jeff Wozencraft, a planner for the City, works with Neighborhood Associations to foster strong ties between neighbors and bridge the gap between City staff and residents.

“There is a spirit of welcome at every neighborhood association meeting,” said Wozencraft. “Many people may not realize a Neighborhood Association represents their part of town, or, if there isn’t one, how they can organize their own Neighborhood Association. I encourage residents to find out how they can get involved in their neighborhood to make a difference in their community.”

The City recognizes the value of neighborhood associations in bringing together community members and helps support their activities with access to funding

Learn more about Neighborhood Associations at CityofCR.com/Neighborhoods

Equitable Engagement

The Planning Services division coordinates with City departments, residents, business owners, and other stakeholders to enhance the quality of life in our community.

It is important that the City considers the perspectives of all our residents when engaging in planning work. Some residents may face challenges engaging through traditional public input methods, such as unfamiliarity with technology, language barriers, difficulties navigating City processes, and more. With an eye on better reaching underrepresented and under-resourced residents, Cedar Rapids’ Community Climate Action Plan identified an opportunity to build a toolkit to assist in the City’s planning efforts.

“Equitable and inclusive engagement ensures those most impacted by policy decisions have a say in those decisions,” said Trent Cerra, a planner for the City. “We’re answering the call of the Community Climate Action Plan to build an Equitable Engagement toolkit that will help standardize and facilitate diverse representation in our engagement processes. This will ensure the feedback we incorporate into planning projects reflects the whole community’s vision.”

Learn more about the Community Climate Action Plan at CityofCR.com/Green

Housing Programs

Every year, the City commissions a Comprehensive Housing Needs Analysis. This helps provide a blueprint of what housing is currently available, what is needed now, and what might be needed in the future.

“Finding a place to call ‘home’ is one of the biggest factors in feeling like your community is inclusive and has a place for you,” said Sara Buck, Cedar Rapids’ housing services manager. “We want to make sure we have quality housing at a variety of price points, to ensure everybody has options for where and how to live.”

The Community Development Department administers a variety of local, state, and federal funding programs that create housing opportunities and meet identified needs. Programs include Section 8 and Family Self Sufficiency efforts; a First Time Home Buyer Program; Neighborhood Finance Corporation loans for home purchase, refinance, and improvements; and many others.

Learn more about the City’s housing programs at CityofCR.com/Housing