Last month on behalf of Sioux City, I was able to join mayors, nonprofit executives, state senators, county supervisors, and other leaders from Iowa for Communities in Action: Building a Better Iowa. This was an opportunity to share successes and offer feedback regarding a number of the Biden administration’s initiatives such as the American Rescue Plan which directed more than $40 million to Sioux City.

We heard from a number of senior advisers to the President and the Secretary of Agriculture, former Iowa Governor, Tom Vilsack. I was able to share with them that the American Rescue Plan in particular allowed Sioux City to replace failing infrastructure such as our 140-year-old water main on Pierce Street and put nearly $2 million in infrastructure in place for affordable housing developments.

In addition to infrastructure programs, the Emergency Connectivity Fund provided the Sioux City Public Library with 2,000 internet-connected devices for people of Sioux City that needed internet access. 

Finally, the Homelessness Prevention Program kept 71 families from becoming homeless, 31 of which have children.

These investments from this administration and federal grants/programs are transforming Sioux City, and it was great to hear what is coming next and how we will be able to benefit. If you would like to learn more about these investments in our state, please visit invest.gov. If you would like to hear more specifically about a number of these programs and their impact on our community, never hesitate to reach out.

By Alex Watters, City Council of Sioux City