Record Homelessness Among Families in Des Moines Leads to Increased Hotel Stays
In Des Moines, a significant rise in family homelessness has prompted local authorities to adjust their approach to temporary housing solutions. A record number of families are currently residing in hotel rooms as they await shelter availability, creating mounting demands on the resources of the Polk County Board of Supervisors. To accommodate this new level of need, the Board is contemplating a budget increase that would triple funding for hotel stays in the upcoming fiscal year.
In 2022, the cost of providing temporary hotel accommodations amounted to ,000, but projections for 2025 are soaring to around 0,000—an increase of nearly 1,300 percent. This dramatic escalation in expenses can be attributed to a surge in the number of families in need, exacerbated by a lack of adequate shelter options. Previously, hotel stays could typically last a few days; however, current circumstances mean families are now staying weeks.
Organizations such as Primary Health Care (PHC) and 211 Iowa are pivotal in screening families and connecting them with available resources. Many of those in hotels are families with children who find themselves in emergency situations and lack the means—such as a vehicle or a support network of family and friends—to wait for traditional shelter space. Jenna Schuck, Centralized Intake Program Manager at PHC, emphasizes that these families face a dire choice: “Their only option is then to potentially sleep outside with that minor child, which we just can’t have. That’s just not an option.”
In Des Moines, only three shelters can accommodate families in a manner that allows them to stay together, and there are currently over 140 families utilizing hotel space while awaiting one of just 18 available rooms.
Emergency funding has become increasingly urgent as the ripple effects of the COVID-19 pandemic continue to impact operations. Family Promise of Greater Des Moines, which provided critical services, closed its doors last December due to a lack of donations and volunteers. Further, Central Iowa Shelter & Services encountered issues with funding, missing critical deadlines associated with staffing shortages. While emergency support can temporarily address the crisis, Polk County officials recognize that it is not a sustainable long-term solution.
Eric Kool, Director of Community, Family, and Youth Services, stated, “We believe it’s better for households to have stable living situations rather than continually return to emergency assistance.” As federal emergency rent assistance has also been depleted since last spring, organizations like PHC find themselves in a “holding pattern,” struggling to maintain their remaining resources.
According to Shelby Ridley, PHC Director of Programs, there exists a tension between the pressing need for immediate emergency assistance and long-term solutions for affordable housing. The Polk County Board is actively pursuing strategies to enhance housing availability, including purchasing vacant lots to expand options for affordable housing.
Recent expenditures have highlighted the financial strains on local nonprofits; hotel stays alone for October reached ,000—nearly equivalent to the total expenditure for the previous entire year. Ridley notes that many organizations involved in combating homelessness are grappling with tight budgets and increasing demands, underscoring the urgent need for more comprehensive support across the spectrum of housing solutions in the community.
The dramatic rise in family homelessness reflects broader systemic issues that require coordinated efforts among local governments, nonprofits, and community stakeholders to forge sustainable solutions and secure housing for those most vulnerable.
