Des Moines is primed to redevelop about 280 city blocks comprised of small, aging homes, partially through voluntary acquisition, demolition and rebuilds, under a draft proposal to tackle the city’s housing challenges.
Iowa’s capital city should refocus a portion of its $64 million-plus annual housing budget to address roughly 45,000 single-family homes that tend to be old, small, and often neglected, under a recommendation Charles Buki, founder and CEO of czb LLC, made in a presentation to Des Moines City Council last week. The housing stock, which Buki calls an “albatross” on the city — hindering its ability to compete in the region — is ripe for a strategy called whole-block redevelopment.
The proposal is part of the city’s first-ever housing strategy , a guide to creating a balanced distribution of housing throughout Des Moines that aligns with Plan DSM , a vision to shape the city’s growth and development through the year 2040. The city hired czb LLC for about $200,000 in 2024 to work with a steering committee to examine the city’s housing market, affordability challenges, and its competitive position…