Acorn Acres celebrates 50 years of operation in Red Oak

Red Oak’s Acorn Acres celebrated 50 years of operation with a special event.
Acorn Acres broke ground a little more than a half century ago, and an open house was held Aug. 22 to mark the special occasion.
The mission of the Low Rent Housing Agency of Red Oak is to promote adequate, safe and affordable housing, economic opportunity, and a suitable living environment free from discrimination. Acorn Acres executive director Diane Wingert spoke about the history of the facility.
“The first board meeting of the Low Rent Housing Agency of Red Oak, d/b/a Acorn Acres, was Sept. 12, 1967.  The original board members were William Horner- Secretary pro tem, Richard Hayler, Jerry Shellberg, Gerald Killion and Elizabeth Richards, Chairman,” Wingert said. “At the first board meeting the resolutions adopted were that the agency was organized under the City of Red Oak under provisions of Chapter 403A under the Code of Iowa and by-laws were also was then at city hall.  It took many years of hard work for everything to come together and the Agency broke ground on April 1, 1975.”
Horner commented on his experience serving as one of Acorn Acres’ original board members.
“When then-Mayor Ray Gustafson asked me to serve on the Board of Directors of the Low Rent Housing Agency more than 50 years ago, I saw it as an opportunity to work with community leaders to fill a housing gap for people in Red Oak. It was a big job that was strictly a volunteer mission. Could our Board find the land, plan a housing complex, and secure the money from the Federal Government to bring new housing opportunities for Red Oak residents?  Mayor Gustafson also appointed Engineer Jerry Shellberg, who had done a number of engineering projects and construction supervision,” advised Horner.
From there, Horner said they set about the task of writing the proposal for the project, and set the date for a vote by the community to approve the funding, but it was not without its challenges.
“The voters of Red Oak did not believe that such a project was needed, and it did not get the 60% approval that was required.  After the “no” vote from citizens in Red Oak for receiving 100% of the funding from the Federal Government, the State of Iowa changed the percent of votes needed to accept the Government funding from the Department of Housing and Urban Development to 50%.  The city of Red Oak called for another vote, and we made the cut with a 57% vote the second time around,” stated Horner.
The building of phase I was finished in 1976 and included 13 apartment buildings for a total of 50 units, a small maintenance garage and a community building with laundry and the office building. Wingert said in 1979, phase II was completed.
“The second phase included 12 apartment buildings for a total of 48 units, and a small community laundry building. In 2011 a larger maintenance shop was built on the phase II side of the property.  An addition was added to the large community/office building in 2019 as more room was needed for tenant activities,” commented Wingert.
Horner said he was very pleased with the completion of the complex and the benefits it provided.
“After that vote passed and things were built, the rest is a very positive history.  Just ask anyone who lives at Acorn Acres.  It is a project that continues to provide great service to Red Oak with superior management from the beginning.  Acorn Acres is a shining example of what can be accomplished when a community pulls together for the good,” Horner explained.
Wingert said Acorn Acres provides housing for people from many walks of life who may have particular needs.
“The population we serve at Acorn Acres is elderly, handicapped and disabled.  Our HUD contracts include public housing and Section 8. We most generally always have a waiting list to get an apartment, and that sometimes can take six to 12 months.  We have a total of 97 one-bedroom apartments that are approximately 500 square feet and one two-bedroom unit,” Wingert stated.
As for amenities, Wingert said Acorn Acres’ rent is based on income and basic utilities are included. 
“We currently offer a discounted internet (FMTC fiber) and cable (Mediacom) package. The current average rent is around $470 which includes utilities, but ranges from $25-$708 per month. We currently have weekly and monthly tenant activities at the large community building including bingo, cards/dominoes, Wii bowling, blood pressure clinics, chair exercise, crafts, Bible study, potlucks and birthday parties,” Wingert explained.
Wingert said much of the success of Acorn Acres can be attributed to her staff, which includes a number of long-term members.
“We currently have a staff of six including four full-time and two part-time with a combined total of around 100 years of service. The current staff includes myself, and I have served as an executive director for 12 years. Natalie Ogg has served as the administrative assistant for four years, and Tony Akers, who does our maintenance, has been here for more than 30 years,” advised Wingert. “Scott Terry also does maintenance for Acorn Acres, and he’s been here for 16 years, Patricia Neal serves as tenant employee-housekeeping and has done so for the last 15 years. Finally, Karon Millikan, the former executive director of Acorn Acres, currently fills in the office as needed since 2024. She’s been with Acorn Acres for more than 20 years.”
Horner said he was excited to take part in the celebration of Acorn Acres history.
“It was a special event for me a few weeks ago, when I had the pleasure of my first visit to Acorn Acres since its founding. I was happy to join with Acorn Acres once again, as they celebrated their 50th Anniversary on Aug. 22,” commented Horner.