City Council Approves Storage Locker Pilot Program for Individuals Experiencing Homelessness

Des Moines, Iowa - Tuesday, August 25, 2026 -

People in Des Moines who are homeless will now have an option to store their belongings in a secure locker thanks to a City pilot program.

City Council approved the pilot program on Monday night that will offer biometric storage lockers for individuals experiencing homelessness in partnership with service provider St. Vincent de Paul.

The six-month pilot program will offer 12 biometric storage lockers at the St. Vincent de Paul location on 6^th Avenue, serving as a location where homeless individuals will be able to store and access important documents and possessions.

City staff conducted interviews with dozens of service providers and homeless individuals to learn more about the challenges they face in the Des Moines area. Consistently, those individuals discussed the obstacles they faced in daily life due to lost possessions like identification, prescriptions and other valuable possessions.

"Having a safe, trusted place to store things is something that many people take for granted," Neighborhood Services Director Chris Johansen said. "But one of the consistent themes our staff heard from people experiencing homelessness was that they had nowhere to securely keep their belongings. This program and these lockers are aiming to help reduce that barrier and give the people that use them a place they can rely on to keep their possessions safe. I believe these lockers will make a difference for the people who will be using them."

At the conclusion of the pilot program, St. Vincent de Paul will provide the City with a report detailing the usage of the lockers, their benefits and other feedback that can help inform future City efforts.

People who are interested in utilizing the storage lockers during this pilot program can contact St. Vincent de Paul for information on how to apply.