A state-licensed care facility for people with disabilities has been cited for improperly using residents’ personal money to buy furniture and supplies for the home.
According to the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing, the Walton Group Home in Burlington used residents’ funds for items such as office furniture, kitchen supplies and bottled water—often without written permission from the residents’ guardians.
State inspectors say the practice may have continued for as long as nine years.
The issue came to light in July 2025 when a staff member reported that a dining table used in a staff office had been purchased using one resident’s money. During the inspection, officials also found a large pile of household items—such as cookware, dishes, storage containers and a vacuum cleaner—stored in a bathroom connected to the former administrator’s office. A worker told inspectors the items were believed to have been purchased with residents’ funds.
Records reviewed by inspectors showed that in April 2024, staff requested $1,750 from one resident’s account to buy “home décor.” Receipts later showed the money was used to purchase two dressers and a dining table, which was placed in a staff office. The same resident’s money was also used to buy bottled water and kitchen utensils.
Inspectors also found purchases made using another resident’s funds, including bowls, tumblers, baking pans, a vacuum cleaner and a griddle. When inspectors spoke with that resident’s guardian in December 2025, she said she had not authorized any of the purchases and felt “betrayed” by the actions of former administrators. Inspectors noted the resident had limited financial resources and could not afford to buy items for the group home.
Staff told investigators the practice had been going on for years. One employee said that if residents had extra money in their accounts, it was sometimes used to buy supplies for the facility. Another staff member said residents’ funds had been used at various times to purchase items such as dishes and storage containers for the home.
Inspectors also found that when residents received federal stimulus payments during the COVID-19 pandemic, staff reportedly asked them to pool the money to buy dining room tables and chairs for the facility.
The home’s own policies state that residents’ personal funds should not be used to purchase items intended for the benefit of others.
Although the facility has since introduced new procedures to prevent further misuse of residents’ money, inspectors reported that as of December 2025 none of the residents had been reimbursed.
State regulators fined the facility $500.
The home is operated by Imagine The Possibilities Inc., a nonprofit organization that provides services and housing for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities across Iowa. A representative for the organization said the matter has not been referred to law enforcement and described the violation as “very minor.”
Inspectors also cited the facility for additional violations that did not result in fines, including failing to treat residents with dignity. In one instance, a former administrator reportedly called residents “hogs” during a meeting after a group outing and threatened to restrict their access to personal spending money.