Wells Fargo Donation Prevents 11,000+ Evictions in Six Iowa Counties
Since receiving catalytic grant funding from the Wells Fargo Foundation three years ago, Iowa Legal Aid has successfully prevented 11,583 evictions, supporting 25,804 household members in six of Iowa’s most populous counties, including 10,168 children between November 2021 and June 2024.
The project with Wells Fargo is an innovative initiative in Polk, Linn, Scott, Black Hawk, Johnson and Pottawattamie counties that brings together key stakeholders to provide legal representation and other critical services at the same time, onsite at county courthouses where eviction cases are heard. It creates a rare “win-win” solution that secures housing for tenants, allows landlords to recoup lost small business income, and reduces congestion in overcrowded eviction courts.
The project drives systemic transformation, working with tenants and landlords to get rent arrears paid, often without the need to file an eviction case. At its core, the project prevents homelessness and keeps tenants in the most affordable housing available to them. Iowa Legal Aid works with tenants to address legal problems that may be reducing their income and ability to pay rent, such as benefits denial, unlawful garnishments or unpaid child support.
The eviction crisis has had a disparate impact on women, communities of color, and people with disabilities as the tenants facing eviction statewide were 67% women, 50% communities of color and 34% people with disabilities. Wells Fargo grant funding helped Iowa Legal Aid and its partners address these disparities in the housing market.
The breakdown of evictions prevented and household members helped in key counties between November 2021 and June 2024 is as follows:
- Polk County: 4,096 evictions prevented, benefiting 9,011 household members (3,511 children).
- Linn County: 2,600 evictions prevented, benefiting 5,690 household members (2,173 children).
- Scott County: 1,982 evictions prevented, benefiting 4,601 household members (1,909 children).
- Black Hawk County: 1,129 evictions prevented, benefiting 2,886 household members (1,189 children).
- Johnson County: 947 evictions prevented, benefiting 2,069 household members (808 children).
- Pottawattamie County: 729 evictions prevented, benefiting 1,547 household members (578 children).
“The Wells Fargo Project has been a game-changer, enabling us to keep thousands of Iowans in their homes while addressing the root causes of housing instability,” said Nick Smithberg, Executive Director of Iowa Legal Aid. “The ripple effects of this project are profound, as it strengthens families, stabilizes communities, and helps landlords recoup income. We are incredibly grateful to Wells Fargo for their investment in this project.”
In addition to eviction prevention, the project also addressed other legal challenges faced by families in crisis. Throughout the initiative, Iowa Legal Aid closed a total of 11,741 legal cases, achieving an outstanding 99% positive outcome rate statewide. This equates to 26,160 household members served, including 10,309 children.
The Wells Fargo grant is a key part of Iowa Legal Aid’s larger statewide eviction project. In total, the organization has helped more than 65,000 Iowans, including 25,000 children, avoid eviction since the project was established during the pandemic. 76% of our eviction clients have no additional housing issues within 24 months.