Implementation of Capital Crossroads has been comprehensive and sustained since its launch in 2012. Hundreds of actions have been completed and are currently being pursued. In the words of our consultant, “You’ve done this better than any community we’ve ever seen.”
Capital Crossroads launched Housing Tomorrow: Here We Grow, an initiative to build regional collaboration, data and knowledge sharing on workforce housing in Central Iowa. Here We Grow builds upon previous research conducted by Capital Crossroads and Polk County Housing Trust Fund, including the 2019 CZB report on workforce housing.
Central Iowa stands 4 Equity. To build a more equitable and inclusive region we are beginning with a focus on racial equity. We ask leaders to commit to using this tool when presented with a decision-making moment for plans and activities. This is the first step in creating an inclusive Central Iowa.
The “DSM USA 4 Equity Task Force” is composed of a diverse group of leaders that will strategize on how to make meaningful change when it comes to racial equity. The task force will move the region toward greater racial equity with an active master plan that includes measurable outcomes, policy recommendations and action steps for all businesses, councils, organizations and jurisdictions.
Businesses, nonprofit organizations, and government entities of all sizes in Polk, Dallas, and Warren Counties were surveyed to better understand how employers are implementing equity practices and to identify areas of success and improvement. This assessment is an actionable step in the DSM USA 4 Equity’s master plan toward greater racial equity in the region.
The Smart City Task Force was formed in 2018 as a joint effort between the Des Moines Area MPO and Capital Crossroads. The roundtable explores how technology could be used to enhance urban systems, service delivery, and citizen engagement in order to address community challenges identified in regional strategies such as The Tomorrow Plan, Capital Crossroads, and the United Way OpportUNITY plan.
Capital Crossroads’ regional stormwater ordinance has passsed in the majority of metro cities. The plan aims to address regional flooding by calling for stricter design standards to capture and slowly release rain.
Central Iowa leaders have announced the launch of a Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA), which provides a vision for a healthy community environment that supports and enables all Central Iowans to live healthy lives and encourages everyone to take responsibility for their health. In alignment with the Capital Crossroads Regional Vision Plan, a steering committee that included Broadlawns Medical Center, MercyOne, UnityPoint Health – Des Moines, the Dallas County Public Health Department, the Polk County Public Health Department, Warren County Health Services, Mid-Iowa Health Foundation, United Way of Central Iowa, and Everystep, led the CHNA process. Following a request for proposals, a contract was awarded to Professional Research Consultants (PRC) to partner in conducting the 2021 CHNA.
