Hunter
10/21/25
Shelter House says they will open their winter shelter a little early this year, after submitting a request for emergency funding to the Johnson County Board of Supervisors.
The Daily Iowan reports the Supervisors couldn’t agree on providing the housing at their September 17th meeting. Instead, they asked Shelter House to submit a request for proposal, or RFP. The board also reached out to the Iowa City City Council for help.
Details have yet to be finalized, but Shelter House plans to open its Winter Shelter on November 17th. The shelter has opened in December in previous years.
Christine Hayes, director of development and communications at Shelter House, said they’ve already started hiring and training new employees for the shelter.
Board of Supervisors Chair Jon Green said he’s afraid the lack of state and federal funding to nonprofits like Shelter House will cause a catastrophe to the local nonprofit ecosystem. He added, “…it’s hard enough to work in the absence of the state or the feds. To work in open conflict with them is even more difficult.”