In the heart of Ames, where bustling student life meets a close-knit local community, city leaders and neighbors are quietly reshaping how homelessness is addressed. Through collaboration, compassion and persistence, a patchwork of agencies, nonprofits and volunteers are coming together to ensure that no one is left behind.
Assistant City Manager Pa Goldbeck has seen this work up close. In her year and a half working for the city, she has watched as outreach efforts have continued to turn the tide.
“From what we’ve seen this year, the visible homeless population seems smaller than last year,” Goldbeck said. “It’s not that the problem has disappeared, but we’re reaching people earlier and connecting them to support.”
While certain areas like Duff Avenue and Lincoln Way have seemed to have had small upticks in unsheltered individuals, Goldbeck said the overall trend appears to be downward thanks to proactive outreach.
Ames’s approach to homelessness is rooted in collaboration. The city contributes around $2 million annually to human services organizations that provide essentials like food, shelter and health care. Those funds are coordinated alongside support from Story County, United Way of Story County and even Iowa State University’s Student Government, which help review and allocate funding.
“Every year, we come together as a community to look at where the needs are and how to meet them,” Goldbeck said. “It’s not just about writing checks, it’s about making sure we’re filling the gaps and not duplicating efforts.”
This sense of shared responsibility has allowed Ames to build a safety net that extends well beyond city hall.
Part of the city’s outreach is the Homeless Outreach Services Team (HOST), a partnership between the City of Ames, Mary Greeley Medical Center, the Alternative Response for Community Health program and the Salvation Army. Each week, HOST team members walk the streets, seeking out unsheltered residents and offering help, whether it’s a warm meal, a medical referral or simply someone to listen.
Recently, Story County added a case manager dedicated solely to homelessness response, providing another lifeline for those in crisis. In April, the city also commissioned an in-depth report with nine recommendations for improving local homelessness efforts. Work is already underway to put those recommendations into practice.
Goldbeck emphasized that effective solutions start with listening. As part of the city’s action plan, consultants interviewed individuals who had experienced homelessness, while HOST members regularly collect feedback from the people they serve.
One pilot program, the Flex Bus, emerged directly from these conversations, offering free bus passes, phone access and other essentials to help people rebuild stability.
Even the university community has played a role. Iowa State Student Government contributes funds and helps shape decisions around homelessness response. While outreach has not shown student homelessness to be widespread, Goldbeck said the city remains attentive to student needs.
Addressing homelessness means tackling misconceptions, too. The city has hosted community forums where residents can share concerns about homelessness in public spaces while learning more about its root causes. Goldbeck said reducing stigma is vital.
“People experiencing homelessness are our neighbors,” Goldbeck said. “Patience and compassion go a long way.”
Contributing factors are often complex, ranging from financial hardship and job loss to mental health challenges or domestic violence. Rising housing costs, intensified by Ames’s role as a university town, create yet another barrier.
“There’s no one cause and no one solution,” Goldbeck said. “That’s why it takes all of us.”
To help shift public perception, the Ames Public Library recently held a display featuring the HOST team and stories of local families who found stable housing. These stories, Goldbeck said, remind the community that progress is possible and happening.
“Sometimes people just need to see that the work matters,” Goldbeck said. “It helps everyone feel like they’re part of the solution.”
This fall, the city will hold a discussion with local landlords aimed at expanding access to affordable housing, one of the most persistent barriers. Goldbeck hopes it will spark new partnerships and ideas.
Though the work is far from finished, Goldbeck is encouraged by the progress made: neighbors helping neighbors, agencies working side by side and a city willing to lean into compassion.
“This takes time,” Goldbeck said. “But what gives me hope is how willing this community is to come together to find solutions.”
