During its June 10, 2026, Board of Directors meeting, the Clarke County Development Corporation (CCDC) approved a Flashpoint Fund grant to help replace the aging air conditioning system at Full Harvest Senior Housing in Osceola. Through a partnership with the Southern Iowa Council of Governments (SICOG), the CCDC provided the required 25% local match toward a project exceeding $150,000, allowing the much-needed HVAC replacement project to move forward.
The replacement project has since been awarded to Snyder Plumbing, with engineering, equipment procurement, and installation expected to take approximately 14 to 16 weeks.
Just one week after the grant was approved, however, Full Harvest Senior Housing Building Manager Mary DeLong contacted CCDC Executive Director Andrew Clark with troubling news: after more than a year of unreliable operation, the building’s air conditioning system had failed completely.
In response to a broken AC unit for their building, residents at Full Harvest Senior Housing in Osceola, Iowa were provided temporary, in-house units.
With July temperatures and heat indices reaching between 95 and 105 degrees, and the hottest weeks of summer still ahead, the CCDC immediately responded by purchasing twelve portable floor air conditioning units. Ten of those units will be installed in occupied apartments, providing temporary cooling for residents until the new central HVAC system is operational.
The emergency response was driven by concern for the health and well-being of the building’s senior residents, ensuring they have access to safe and comfortable living conditions while construction is completed.
Once the permanent HVAC system has been installed and is fully operational, the portable air conditioning units will be returned to the CCDC. The organization intends to maintain the units as a community resource, making them available to assist other Clarke County residents facing temporary cooling emergencies in the future.
“I believe our mission extends to supporting the health, safety, and overall well-being of our community,” said Andrew Clark, Executive Director of the Clarke County Development Corporation. “While providing temporary air conditioners may seem like a minor effort, it will likely mean everything to residents who were facing days and weeks in apartments exceeding 100 degrees. We’re proud to help protect some of our most vulnerable neighbors while the permanent solution is being completed.”
Mary DeLong said the support from the CCDC has been invaluable throughout the project.
“We cannot thank the Clarke County Development Corporation enough for everything they have done for our residents,” said DeLong. “Knowing our residents will have relief during the hottest part of the summer brings tremendous peace of mind to all of us. Their partnership has truly made a difference.”
The portable air conditioning units will remain part of a CCDC emergency community assistance inventory.
The portable air conditioning units will remain part of a CCDC emergency community assistance inventory after the Full Harvest project is complete. Residents who may have an immediate need for temporary cooling assistance, or who know someone who could benefit from a portable air conditioning unit, are encouraged to contact the Clarke County Development Corporation. Units will be made available on a temporary basis as inventory allows.