Iowa Legal Aid: Ensuring Justice for All Iowans
Posted August 6, 2025
Posted by Board of Supervisors and Public Relations
Council Bluffs, Iowa — At a recent Pottawattamie County Board of Supervisors meeting, Erin Planalp, Managing Attorney with Iowa Legal Aid, shared an overview of the organization’s critical work providing free legal assistance to low-income Iowans.
Expanding Reach and Impact
Iowa Legal Aid operates 10 offices across the state, serving all 99 counties. In 2024, the organization received 67,653 applications for service, handled 14,891 cases, and assisted a total of 34,471 Iowans.
Their mission is to make hope, dignity, and justice available to low-income Iowans through legal assistance and education. They work to protect fundamental rights, meet basic necessities, and empower clients to advocate for themselves and their communities.
Supporting Housing Stability and Daily Needs
Nearly half of the cases Iowa Legal Aid handles are related to ensuring clients have a safe, stable place to live, including help with evictions, foreclosures, unsafe living conditions, and utility shutoffs.
They also assist with programs and resources that help meet daily needs, such as:
- Family Investment Program (FIP) and SNAP benefits
- Veterans’ benefits
- SSI/SSDI
- Tax issues
- Consumer protection, bankruptcy, debt collection, and identity theft
Personal Stability and Family Law Services
Family law, including protective orders, divorce, custody, and guardianship, is another significant focus for Iowa Legal Aid, helping ensure clients and their families have personal stability.
How to Access Help
Iowa Legal Aid offers multiple ways for Iowans to reach them:
- Online: www.iowalegalaid.org
- Phone: 1-800-532-1275 (Monday–Friday, 9–11 a.m. and 1:30–3:30 p.m., except Thursday afternoons)
- In person: 830 N. 14th St., Suite 301, Council Bluffs
To learn more about the resources available through Iowa Legal Aid, visit www.iowalegalaid.org.
Helping residents access resources starts with strong community partnerships. If your nonprofit or community organization would like to share information or resources with the public by presenting at a Board of Supervisors meeting, please reach out to Kate Gerber at 712-328-5898.