Statewide, Iowa – Iowa’s harsh winters can be especially difficult for the state’s veterans. Stacy Albus (ALL-bus), a county service officer with the Black Hawk County VA, says low-income and homeless vets who face isolation and mental health problems may have a particularly tough time finding shelter when the bitter cold hits.
State data says around 47 percent of Iowa’s veterans live with some form of mental or emotional illness. During the winter months, Albus says mental health struggles may limit veterans’ housing options for those who are applying for places to rent.
Nearly 20 percent of Iowa’s veterans don’t own their home, according to numbers from the nonprofit Housing Assistance Council.
