Des Moines to consider redeveloping 300 blocks of housing
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About 300 city blocks would be redeveloped through a mix of acquisitions, demolitions and infill reconstruction under a draft housing strategy presented to the city council this week.
Why it matters: The annual $60-million-plus that governments spend to improve DSM's housing won't boost overall conditions without whole-block redevelopment, Charles Buki, director of Colorado-based urban planning firm CZB, told council members.
- DSM has "an albatross" of 45,000 small and often neglected homes, Buki said.
Catch up quick: DSM has among the oldest housing stock in the nation, with nearly 28% of homes built in 1939 or earlier compared to 12% nationally, according to Census estimates.
- Hundreds of millions of dollars have been spent on revitalization in recent decades, but problems with housing conditions and affordability are still widespread.
- CZB was hired last year for $200,000 to help draft the first citywide plan to guide future housing decisions.
Driving the news: This week's recommendations include voluntary property buyouts to help redevelop entire city blocks.
- The focus would be on a few blocks at a time that would be completed over decades.
How it works: It's unlikely that some property owners would sell, which Buki told the council is fine because each block would be developed differently based on its characteristics and open spaces.
- Contiguous properties could be acquired mostly for new housing with market factors influencing improvements or redevelopment of the remaining older homes, he said.
Zoom in: Specific blocks were not identified in this week's presentation, but examples given include areas along Southridge and Merle Hay malls, East 14th Street and the Fairgrounds neighborhood.
Stunning stat: CZB estimates redevelopment would cost private, nonprofit and public entities around $20 million per block, which includes incentives to maintain affordability for families with lower incomes.
Inside the room: Councilperson and real estate agent Linda Westergaard accused Buki of using "scare tactics" by predicting that property conditions would continue to worsen under the council's current housing plans.
- "The market is not strong enough for there to be an alternative outcome," Buki responded. "I'm sorry."
- Mayor Connie Boesen and the other five council members supported further reviewing the recommendation.
The intrigue: A Baltimore pilot project using the whole-block approach in 2009 resulted in $58 million in reinvestment and about 200 new or rehabbed homes, according to nonprofit ReBuild Metro, which assisted in the development.
- The city is now adopting a widescale version.
- CZB was commissioned to study Baltimore's vacant property problems and recommended the concept in 2022.
What's next: The city manager's office will provide the council with financing details in the coming weeks.
- Formal council consideration could take place as early as next month.