HomeMy WebLinkAbout~Master - Council Packet Summary March 25, 2025
City Office 515.239.5105 main 515 Clark Ave. P.O. Box 811
515.239.5142 fax Ames, IA 50010
www.CityofAmes.org
MEMO
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Jeramy Neefus, Principal Clerk, City Manager’s Office
Date: March 21, 2025
Subject: Packet of Communications to Council
Listed below are the communications to the City Council known to staff as of March 21, 2025:
1. Andrew Allen, President & CEO of YSS – March 12, 2025
RE: Request for CDBG Funding for Recovery Housing
2. Emily Anderson, Ames Resident – March 14, 2025
RE: N. Riverside Drive Parking Concerns
1
Hall, Renee
From:Andrew Allen <AAllen@yss.org>
Sent:Wednesday, March 12, 2025 6:07 PM
To:City Council and Mayor; Haila, John; Baker-Latimer, Vanessa
Cc:Belinda Meis; Lisa Hoffman; Renata Streck
Subject:Support for Recovery Housing & CDBG Funding – Community & City Partnership
[External Email]
Dear Mayor Haila, Ames City Council Members, and Vanessa -
Let me start by expressing gratitude for the City of Ames’ longstanding support of YSS and our mission. For nearly
50 years, we have been deeply embedded in this community, serving youth and young adults in need of behavioral
health, housing, and recovery services.
As YSS transitions its residential programs to Ember Recovery Campus in rural Story County, neighbors in the Old
Town Historic District have reached out, urging us to stay. Specifically they’ve told me they miss seeing our youth,
appreciate their respectful presence, and value our staff’s professionalism. With 804 Kellogg vacated and 703
Burnett soon to follow, the community wants these properties to continue serving young people in need.
Our initial assessment was that the cost to renovate these facilities far outweighed their value, which led us to
explore selling them. The sale fell through. Now, after engaging a new contractor, we have determined that a less
intrusive renovation approach is possible, allowing us to restore these properties in a way that is both financially
responsible and mission-aligned.
With this in mind, we are seeking the City's support and guidance to help us move forward with our plan to create
recovery housing, a critical piece of our continuum of care. This would ensure young people transitioning out of
substance use treatment at Ember Recovery Campus have access to stable housing, workforce development, and
long-term recovery support in Ames.
While I’m sure there’s a formal process, we want ask directly how we might forward with the following request:
1. Allocate existing FY24-25 CDBG funds to support the renovation of 703 Burnett and 804 Kellogg for
recovery housing. We’ve already secured $181,500 from Story County for 703 Burnett and are actively
raising additional funds. We also ask that recovery housing be prioritized in the FY25-26 CDBG funding
plan to ensure transitional housing for youth and young adults remains a key focus for Ames.
2. Revisit the $1.2 million in HOME-ARPA funds currently reserved for non-congregate shelter to explore
whether some of these funds could support recovery housing.
3. Appoint a city liaison to assist in navigating funding opportunities, zoning, permitting, and
compliance with historic district. This support would be key to ensuring these renovations move forward
efficiently and align with city and community goals.
This project represents a significant step toward addressing housing instability, reducing homelessness, and
building on the momentum of Ember Recovery Campus…the largest investments in Iowa’s children’s behavioral
health ever. It will allow youth in recovery to remain in Ames, pursue education and employment, contribute to the
workforce, and build new lives as productive members of the community.
One young man at Ember Recovery was homeless in Ames before treatment. Without local recovery housing, he’ll
have to relocate to Des Moines. With these renovations, he could stay, work through YSS’s workforce program,
and rebuild his life here.
2
We are fundraising but need the City’s help to close the gap. The ~$1.3 million renovation (about $100/sf) is a
sound investment in restoring these historic properties for recovery housing. We will refine plans and comply with
all regulations, but the time to act is now. This is a chance to build on Ember Recovery Campus and make Ames a
leader in recovery.
Thank you for your time and consideration. We look forward to working together.
AA
ANDREW ALLEN / PRESIDENT & CEO / ’95 YSS ALUMNUS
YSS HEADQUARTERS / 420 KELLOGG AVENUE, AMES, IA 50010
P: 515.233.3141 / C: 515-291-5684 / W: www.yss.org
Connect with Us on Facebook / Twi er
1
Hall, Renee
From:Hall, Renee
Sent:Monday, March 17, 2025 8:33 AM
To:Hall, Renee
Subject:FW: City parking concerns
-----Original Message-----
From: Emily Anderson <emilyanderson4412@gmail.com>
Sent: Friday, March 14, 2025 2:01 PM
To: City Council and Mayor <mayorcouncil@amescitycouncil.org>
Subject: City parking concerns
[External Email]
The city of Ames,
I hope this email finds you well. I am reaching out regarding an ongoing parking issue on N Riverside Drive that has been
affec ng both my household and our neighbors. For the past few months, a par cular vehicle has been taking advantage
of the city's parking regula ons by moving a foot or so every 48 hours to avoid cita on, effec vely using our residen al
street as free long-term parking. This has caused mul ple inconveniences, including blocking areas needed for delivery
trucks to back into driveways and limi ng parking for actual residents. It is clear that this vehicle belongs to a student
who likely lives on campus but has opted not to purchase a university parking permit, instead using the public street for
extended parking without consequence. As homeowners, we are required to purchase parking permits to comply with
city regula ons, yet we con nue to deal with this situa on with no resolu on. I wanted to bring this to your a en on
and inquire about poten al solu ons. Specifically, I would like to:
1. Request enforcement of exis ng parking regula ons, par cularly for individuals circumven ng the 48-hour parking
rule.
2. Understand what ac ons can be taken to prevent this type of abuse, such as increased monitoring or cke ng for
vehicles engaging in minimal movement just to reset the me limit.
3. Explore the possibility of implemen ng resident-only parking or signage to help ensure that those who live on our
street have priority for parking access.
I appreciate your me and considera on in addressing this ma er. Please let me know if there are any steps we can take
as residents to help enforce parking regula ons or assist in implemen ng a solu on. Looking forward to your response.
Best regards,
Emily Berg
108 n. Riverside drive Ames Iowa
(952)992-0520