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. Market factors would influence the 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.

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.

Read more: Baltimore's block experiment

We don't need Denver slopes or Salt Lake City resorts to have an active skiing community in town.

Driving the news: The Des Moines Nordic Club helps groom cross-country skiing trails at Jester Park and encourages people to get out and enjoy the winter weather.

How it works: If you love snow and cardio, cross-country skiing could be for you.

• Instead of relying on gravity while going down a slope, cross-country skiers glide across the snow by using skis, poles and their own movement.

State of play: There can be 50 to 100 people using the trails at Jester Park on a busy day, says Marc Hollander, a member of the club.

• Other popular skiing spots include Raccoon River Park, Maffitt Reservoir, and Chichaqua Bottoms Greenbelt.

What they're saying: Sometimes, it's just about breaking out of the doldrums and learning to embrace winter, Hollander says.

• Some winters, his family dons headlamps and goes out to ski after work.
• "I enjoy the quietness of getting out in the middle of the winter," he says.

How to get out: If the snow keeps falling, people can finally get out this weekend.

• If you're new or interested in cross-country skiing, Hollander recommends joining the Nordic club on Facebook or following Jester Park Nature Center for up-to-date information.
• Jester Park offers ski rentals — but call and check ahead of time, as there needs to be 6 inches of snow on the ground. Active Endeavors in WDM offers rentals for $15 a day.

Share this with a shredder

🎵 Hinterland is matching Chapell Roan's $25,000 donation for musician healthcare. (Iowa Public Radio)

🚨 A student's report to Iowa State University Police four years ago led to the discovery of a "neo-Nazi child exploitation enterprise," which identified at least 30 victims and recently resulted in arrests. (KCCI)

👵 A former administrator of a WDM nursing home is accused of whistleblower retaliation and faces state licensing sanctions. (Iowa Capital Dispatch)

💰 Polk Supervisors approved $500K in emergency funding to help nearly 500 refugees after the Trump administration halted money to resettlement agencies. (DSM Register)

Only 13 states send more money to federal government coffers than they receive, a recent analysis found.

Why it matters: The Trump administration's push for states to be more financially independent brushes up against the reality that many depend on federal money.

Zoom in: Iowa received just over $2,000 per capita more than it sent in 2022, according to a recent Rockefeller Institute of Government report.

• Of our surrounding states, Minnesota and Illinois paid more into the federal system than they took — around $1,900 and $1,300, respectively.

Read more

Here's your friendly reminder that winter is a time to slow down, rest and recover.

• "Hibernating" and getting more sleep can be an act of learning how to surrender and let go of the need for control.