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Council to reimburse Habitat with $33,500 acquisition grant for rehab of 627 W. Third; some residents object

September 16, 2025 | Waterloo, Black Hawk County, Iowa


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Council to reimburse Habitat with $33,500 acquisition grant for rehab of 627 W. Third; some residents object
The Waterloo City Council approved a development agreement to reimburse Heartland Habitat for Humanity $33,500 for the acquisition of 627 West Third Street to support rehabilitation and future homeownership. Noel Anderson, Community Planning & Development Director, said Habitat had already acquired the property and the city would reimburse acquisition costs so Habitat could proceed with rehabilitation in the Church Row target neighborhood. Andy Conger, construction director at Habitat, described the approach as "kind of a new approach" intended to acquire and rehabilitate properties before they deteriorate to the point of demolition. During public comment, resident Forrest Dillavoe said the city should have condemned the property instead of buying it and called the reimbursement "an expense for the taxpayers of Waterloo." David Dreyer likewise questioned why the city would buy property only to give it away. Council members discussed eligibility under local nuisance or condemnation criteria (referred to in the meeting as "6.57a" standards) and Anderson said the structure had not met the city's usual criteria for immediate condemnation, noting the city often looks for a year of vacancy and utility shutoffs before pursuing the formal process. Council approved the resolution authorizing the development agreement and authorized the mayor and city clerk to execute the document; staff said funding could come from ARPA or nuisance-bond funds and that staff would determine the best source under the city's ARPA expenditure plan.

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Scribe from Workplace AI
Scribe from Workplace AI