Des Moines City Council unanimously approved the first property acquisition tied to its new citywide housing strategy this week.
Why it matters: The home at 1656 Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway marks the start of a massive, long-term effort to demolish or improve entire city blocks, home to thousands of neglected houses that have been called “an albatross.”
Catch up quick: DSM has among the nation’s oldest housing stock.
- Problems with conditions and affordability persist despite government programs that have allocated hundreds of millions of dollars to revitalize it over the past few decades.
Zoom in: DSM hired a consultant in 2024 to help draft a plan to guide future housing decisions and maximize future investments.
- Initial concepts included redevelopment of up to 300 blocks through a mix of acquisitions, demolitions and new construction.
Yes, but: The final plan approved last year called for a more nuanced, targeted, block-by-block approach to revitalization and reinvestment, with city officials emphasizing that they have no plans for large-scale demolitions or for pushing out residents…