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Des Moines staff and consultant propose ‘whole‑block’ redevelopment alongside scaled growth of Invest DSM and ION programs
Summary
City staff and a consultant presented a multi‑decade housing strategy that pairs expanded Invest DSM and ION funding with a proposed whole‑block redevelopment approach, a redevelopment bond, and repurposed abatements and CIP/sales tax dollars. Council asked staff for more financial detail and geographies; no action was taken.
City Manager Scott Sanders and a consultant briefed the Des Moines City Council at a work session on a multi‑part housing strategy that combines expanded funding for existing programs with a proposed “whole‑block redevelopment” effort targeting older, low‑value single‑family housing.
The consultant, Charles, told the council the city currently spends roughly $60 million a year on housing programs (exclusive of TIF), with about $36 million coming from state and federal sources and additional contributions from Polk County. "We estimate that on balance, it really ends up resolving something less than 10% of the problem you've got," Charles said, describing the gap between current spending and the scale of need.
Why it matters: the presentation framed two parallel problems the city faces — a market gap (fewer higher‑income households compared with suburbia, weakening price pressure) and an affordability gap (substantial numbers of households earning under $50,000). The consultant said Des Moines has roughly 45,000 smaller, older…
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