County staff reported Wright County’s participation in the Heart of Iowa housing program, which provides up to about $15,000 per home for repairs such as siding, roofs or windows. Staff said the program delivered approximately $90,000 in improvements in Wright County this year and that the county’s pledged portion of match funding is $16,800. At the time of the report the county’s matching pool was $3,770 short.

Why it matters: the county’s match enables homeowners to receive grants for needed repairs; if the match is not fully funded fewer county residents may access the program this cycle.

Board response: staff said they had sought contributions from local banks and businesses and received a single $500 donation; they reported outreach efforts have focused on financial institutions and major employers rather than contractors. Supervisors asked for more detail and for staff to continue outreach; no motion or funding allocation was made at the meeting.

Related items: supervisors also heard announcements about a DCAT pilot outreach program and local office closures for the Thanksgiving holiday; staff noted a University of Iowa presentation on cancer statistics for Project 99 counties scheduled Dec. 3 and offered viewing support at the county office for residents without Zoom access.